In A Flash
by Starzeee96
Summary: what would happen to central city if the flash got sick? if he stopped healing? if his powers stopped working. What would happen to the ones he loves and cares about? My name is barry allen and i am NOT the fastest man alive.
1. Chapter 1:The Dreams

**CHAPTER 1**

"I don't think that bolt of lightning struck you Barry i think it choose you" ...

"I just don't think I'm like you Oliver, i don't know if i can be some vigilante" Barry said bowing his head almost in shame like he didn't deserve these powers.

"You can be better, because you can inspire people, in a way that i never could. Watching over your city like a guardian angel , making a difference, saving people...the flash" Oliver said drawing his bow, as the look on his face morphed from caring friend to blood thirsty enemy.

"Oliver what are you doing-" Barry said noticing the deadly look in Oliver's eye, he took a step back.

"This is why it hurts me to say this Barry, the truth is your just not ready to protect this city.. I'm sorry" Oliver said firing an arrow into Barry's chest.

"Ugh my head" Barry said awakening from his dream with a small yelp, he was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

"What time is it" he said to himself grabbing his phone. "dam it! Captain sing is gonna freak, i can't be late again" Barry said to himself once more.

Barry ran into the shower, got changed and then down stairs to grab some food. He picked up his phone once more and scrolled down to his messages there was one from Joe and one from Iris. He decided to reply to iris first her message read

 _IRIS: Morning babe, hope you get to work on time today, see you later LOVE YOU -I_

Barry replied with,

 _BARRY: Hey sorry babe, woke up late..again ill call you later let me know when your on break and ill come get some coffee at lunch, love you -B_

Barry contemplated messaging Joe back but just decided to run to work before he made himself later than he already was. Barry sped towards CCPD taking the back entrance to get to his lab and if he was lucky missing out on bumping into anyone all togther. Barry rushed to hi desk and sat down exhausted, he took a sigh of relief. Nobody had seen him come in. At least thats what Barry had thought, Joe had been waiting for Barry to arrive.

Joe cleared his throat to make himself known. "I had to cover for you, the dreams again?" Joe asked spinning around on a chair opposite to where Barry was sitting.

"Jesus Joe you scared the life out of me! yeah my head is killing! ...but it's like there more than dreams it's like there changed versions of my memories" Barry said swallowing an aspirin and taking a seat.

Joe shook his head in concern "doesn't look like theres much life left in you to begin with , are those pills even helping..I mean won't your metabolism just burn right through it?" Joe said curious.

"Yeah I have Cisco working on something stronger if you know what I mean" Barry said with an sarcastic laugh, he gingerly shuffled through some papers on his desk preparing himself for a days work.

"Okay well either way are you sure you should be at work?" Joe said with concern.

"Joe I'm fine really it will pass" Barry said getting up a little to quick, he grabbed the nearest thing to him in a attempt to stableize himself, but fell straight to the ground hitting his head on the corner of his desk.

"BARRY!" Joe said scrambling to the floor to cradle his sons head. He was out cold. "Come on bare please, open your eyes!" Joe grabbed his phone from his pocket and speed dialled star labs.

"Hey joe what's up-

"CISCO it's Barry! He's hit his head and I don't know if he's breathing!" Joe said in a panic.

"Joe he's not wearing his suit I can't help you need to get him to your car and-

"Oh my god Cisco please help!" Joe said his breathing quickening as he started to panic.

"Joe listen to me! Take Barry to your car and I'll meet you there as soon as I can" Cisco said trying to keep his cool.

"Okay okay" Joe said frantically putting the phone in his pocket! Joe cradled Barry in his arms and headed for the stairwell towards the car park when he heard foot steps.

"What's going on here?" A voice came from behind. Just what Joe needed

"Uhg.. Captin it's Barry he passed out I'm taking him home, I figured going through the department would only embarrass him" Joe said desperately willing captin sing to believe him.

"Oh I'm sorry to hear tell him get some rest and don't worry about work just get better" captin sing said with a smile.

"Well that was weird" Joe muttered rushing down the stair well twisting his ankle in the process. A sharp pain shot up Joe's leg and made him loose grip on his son. "ahh dam it" Joe said painfully gritting his teeth, momentarily dropping Barry.

He heard a loud crack and felt Barry's leg buckle from underneath him, he knew the damage was bad but he also knew that something more serious was wrong with Barry and he needed to focus on getting him outside to the car park.

Joe too afraid to look a Barry's leg continued to the car park with a small limp walking it off as he went. He saw Cisco and Caitlin speeding towards the back entrance. Joe waved his hands in the air to get there attention whilst setting Barry down gently on the concrete.

"Joe" Cisco said running towards them. "What happened to Barry's leg?!" Caitlin said in a worried tone.

"Never mind that help me put him in the van" Joe said still limping slightly.

Caitlin always came prepared there was a hospital bed and machines set up in the back of the van Caitlin helped lay Barry down on the bed hooking him up to a glucose Iv and fluids, she then attached some pads to his chest and connected up a vitals Machine.

"He's got a pulse it's just really weak, and I don't understand because Barry's heart beats 10x as fast a normal heart rate" Caitlin said a worried expression plastered on her face.

Joe climbed into the back and held Barry's hand. "Not again" he muttered to himself. Joe held his head in hands and ruffed his hair, he stayed there for a minute before the beeping of the machines snapped him out of his trance.

"What's happening" Joe exclaimed watching Barry convulse and his vitals plummet.

"He's having a seizure!" Caitlin said drawing fluid from a syringe and injecting it into Barry. "Cisco step on it, something is seriously wrong!"

 **END.**


	2. Chapter 2: Loosing His Powers

**CHAPTER 2**

"Help me get him out the car" Caitlin yelled, knowing that Joe wasn't going to be much help.

Cisco slammed his foot down on the breaks, and with that the van came to a grinding holt Cisco was certain that he had left tire marks on the floor, but now was not the time, he jumped out of his seat in a rush to aid Caitlin with Barry.

Cisco ran to the back of the van and quickly pried opened the doors to help Caitlin and Joe with Barry, they ran towards star labs in a frantic attempt to help Barry as quickly as possible.

Caitlin pushed the gurney up against the wall and quickly re-plugged back into the machines, "Lets get some vitals" she shouted, but some how seemed to stay quite calm.

"heart rate 35 bpm blood pressure 40/23" Cisco said looking towards caitlin as if to ask her decipher the vitals, but Cisco knew it wasn't good. Caitlin took one glance and grabbed the defibrillator in a panic.

"We need to get his heart into a better rhythm, Charging to 200 Clear" Caitlin said placing the pads on Barry's chest and shocking him.

"It's not working!" Joe said looking at the machine and reading that Barry's heart rate still read 35 bpm running his hands through his hair.

"Cisco charge to 300! I'm not giving up" Caitlin Said placing the paddles on Barry's chest once more. Cisco glanced at the machine to see the reading was now 0 bpm. Shocked at this Caitlin pushed Cisco aside.

Caitlin frantically grabbed at barry wrist trying to feel for a pulse. "Oh my god" Caitlin said with a sigh of relief "Ive got one its weak but its there" and of in union the machine updated with fresh vitals.

"Pulse is 70 bpm is slow for Barry but its there " Cisco said with a laugh of relief.

"Thank god.. Okay let's get more fluids in him and put the oxygen on 5 litres per minute, and Cisco once you've done that I'm gonna need your help setting his leg" Caitlin said shooting Joe a soft smile, who was still pacing back and forth but trying to stay out of the way.

Caitlin brought over the portable X-ray machine towards Barry's leg. Caitlin gently placed a metal board under the injured leg and then an anti-radionation gown over herself. "Guy I'm taking X-rays do you mind leaving the room.

"Really i think its pretty Obvious that its broken pretty bad" Cisco said nervously, himself and Joe both leaving the room to avoid the radiation.

"Yes Cisco but i need to know the exact places that the bone has snapped so i know how to set it, okay I'm done you both can come back in now" Caitlin said removing the metal board from Barry's leg.

"Okay Cisco get over here i need your help"Caitlin said placing her hands around Barry's knee and foot.

"Cisco can you pull the foot on three" Caitlin said watching Cisco nod in agreement. "Okay 1...2...3 pull" Caitlin said wincing at the very audible cracking noise.

*CRACK*

"Ah mm no , see that does not feel good" Cisco said watching as Barry lay motionless and remained unconscious.

"Well imagine how Barry feels, at least he's stable now, okay I'm going to test these bloods and check that everything's okay on the inside" Caitlin said filling up some test tubes with Barrys' blood.

"Thank god he has super healing though" Joe said now moving closer to the bed.

Cisco and Caitlin had forgot Joe was there because of how quiet he had been. "How longs he going be out for?" Joe asked looking at Caitlin as she always seemed more clued on in these situations.

"I'm not sure, his body is going to remain comatose for now so it can recover quicker but with Barry's super healing shouldn't be too long, he's lucky though if this was anyone else he would need surgery to fix his leg for sure" Caitlin said just as Barry started to stir.

"Speaking of the little red suited devil" Cisco said with a small laugh.

"Mmmm.. Ughh" Barry moaned opening his eyes slightly before shutting them just as quick due to the harsh lights.

Everyone quickly turned there attention to Barry.

"Bare are you okay?!" Joe said with concern, rushing to his sons bedside.

"Barry try not to move okay, you have a compound fracture on your right leg and severe head trauma" Caitlin Said sternly whilst looking at the blood results that had just finished processing.

"What happened I don't remember?" Barry said a puzzled look now plastered on his face but his eyes remained closed.

"You were in your lab bare and you were telling me about the dreams again-

" you collapsed dude, big time" Cisco said butting in whilst taking a bite of his red liquorice straw.

"My leg, it kills and the light..my eyes hurt" Barry said wincing in an attempt to try and move.

"You really shouldn't move Barry, your cells don't seem to be healing at there normal rate, you could be off your feet for a while" Caitlin said looking over the results whilst avoiding eye contact with Barry.

Barrys eyes burst open squinting at the light once more. "What do you mean my cells aren't healing at there normal rate?!" Barry said panicking.

Caitlin took a deep breathe and a step back from Barry trying to partially hide behind the monitors. "Well I've just taken some blood from you and its come back showing some abnormal readings, or should i say normal readings" Caitlin said sighing

"Then what's the problem" Barry said confused.

"I mean there normal as in there almost identical to your results from when you were in your coma before you got your powers, theres almost no trace of the speed force, Barry your cells are working like any normal person" Caitlin said reappearing from behind the screens.

An uncomfortable silence lingered in the air before the screeching of machine alarms snapped everyone out of there trans.

Barry started ripping wires and IV lines off his body and out of his arms.

"BARRY!, what are you doing?! You have to rest!" Caitlin yelled sternly, attempting to push Barry back down with the help of Cisco and Joe.

Barry pushed them aside with little strength he had left and attempted to escape. "I need to see for myself, it can't be gone" Barry's said his voice cracking with pain.

The faint crackle of lightning and a small glimpse of red lit up the room before Barry collapsed onto the floor writhing in pain.

"MY LEG, AHHHhh" Barry whimpered letting a few tears escape.

The contents of the room quickly rushed to Barry's aid gently helping him back into bed. Caitlin adjusting his IVs and Cisco carefully propping Barry's leg up. Barry wincing in the process.  
Joe took a step back and slowly sat down taking a deep breath.

Barry stayed quite in obvious pain. He had a blank expression plastered to his face. "My speed it's gone" he whimpered out.

 **END.**


	3. Chapter 3: Reality

**CHAPTER 3**

"Bare please you have to talk to us" Joe pleaded with his son, who lay there in a state of denial.

"Hey Joe can I talk to you for a second" Caitlin said sheepishly approaching Joe pulling him to one side.

Joe followed Caitlin over to the opposite side of the room, she pointed to the screens.

"You see this, this is Barry's blood results before he was affected by the particle accelerator and this is them now" she explained.

"Right so what exactly am I supposed to be looking at?" Joe said feeling confused.

"Well you see these black circles attached to the cells, it almost looks as if Barry had or now has an auto immune disease, he had it present in his blood cells before he was hit with the Lightning " Caitlin said briefly looking at Joe.

"Caitlin your going to have to explain this in English im not really following" Joe said with a forced grin.

"Basically what I'm trying to say is Barry had this disease present before and now whatever has effected him has reverted his cells back to normal, so untill we figure out what's making him "ill" he's not going to heal any quicker than you and me" Caitlin said with a hopefully look.

"Right... I guess I'll go talk to Barry then" Joe said taking a deep breath.

Joe walked towards Barry a small limp still present in his strides.

"What happened to you then?" Barry asked worry evident in is voice, weather he decided to show it or not.

"Just a sprain, I'm fine. How are you feeling?" Joe asked.

"I'm in agony" Barry said wincing trying to adjust himself, he just couldn't get comfortable, he wasn't used to feeling this much pain usually he would be healing by now.

"Here let me help" Joe said fluffing Barry's pillows before attempting to resume conversation .

"So bare I've been talking to Caitlin and she seems to think that whatever is causing you to temporarily loose your speed has reverted your cells back to the way they were before you were hit by the Lightning" Joe said searching Barry for a reaction before continuing.

"I don't understand" Barry said bluntly.

"You have an autoimmune disease bare, it's stopping you from healing, so as soon as we find out why the sooner we can fix things, did your mum or dad ever mention anything like that running in the family?" Joe said offering a small smile.

"I don't know Joe I-" Before Barry was allowed to finish Cisco burst into the room with a very worried expression.

"Guys I hate to be the barer of bad news and all but we have a problem, there's a robbery in process at jitters" Cisco said not sure at which person to look at because he knew how much Iris meant to the both of them.

"Iris" Joe and Barry said in usion.

"I've gotta go bare, rest okay!" Joe said already halfway out of the room.

"Wait, Joe I'm coming with you!" Barry yelled but it was too late Joe had already gone. Barry immediately grabbed his phone. He scrolled down to his recent calls and dialled Iris instantly.

 _*Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* - Voicemail_ "Its gone to voicemail, somethings wrong" Barry flung the bed covers off him and attempted to get up.

"BARRY! what are you doing?!" Caitlin said sternly watching Barry attempt to get out of bed.

"I need to help Iris" Barry said struggling to untangle himself from all the wires and IVs.

"Well your not going to be any help to her in this state now are you? Cisco alittle help here" Caitlin said as Barry finally stopped struggling and threw his head back down on the pillow.

"How am I supposed to help central city like this? Im useless." Barry said whimpering whilst gesturing towards his leg.

"Well you can't help central city you help yourself and your going to help yourself by resting! Caitlin said forcefully.

"Okay" Barry nodded, but still was determined to find a way to help Iris.

"Good now I'm going to leave you to get some sleep, just let us know if you need anything, and we'll let you know if we hear anything about Iris" Caitlin said diming the lights and exiting the room.

Barry lay there for a good half hour contemplating what he was about to do. He glanced over a Caitlin and Cisco a few times they seemed quite preoccupied.

He waded up his options and saw dr well's wheelchair in the corner, now he just had to figure out how he was going to get from the bed to the wheelchair without setting all the alarms off.

After realising that he wasn't going to get anywhere without setting the machines off he decided the best thing to do was just "make a run for it".

Barry slowly weened himself towards the edge of the bed making as little noise as possible before slowly putting weight on his good leg, his head spun and he quickly used the edge of the bed to steady himself.

Once the room had stopped spinning and he felt like he could make a dive for it he used little strength he had left and hopped two paces before collapsing into the wheelchair and in the process setting off all the alarms re-ripping out his IVs and causing Caitlin and Cisco to come charging in.

 **END.**


	4. Chapter 4: Not Fas Enough

**CHAPTER 4**

 **-Meanwhile at CC Jitters-**

Joe felt his heart beat in every inch of his body as he barley let the car stop moving before speeding towards the doorway of jitters where he was met by several officers debating on how to approach the situation.

"What's going on?!" Joe said frantically.

"Well we've got about fifteen hostages including your daughter and what looks like one gun man" captain sing said giving Joe a sympathetic look.

"We have to get in there! Whats the plan cap" Joe said peering through the fogged cafe window.

"SWAT is on there way so just hang in there Joe, we'll get iris out don't worry!" Captain sing said giving Joe a reassuring pat on the back.

*BANG BANG*

"IRIS! I'm sorry Cap I can't wait for SWAT" Joe yelled charging towards the entrance.

Joe burst through the doors with plenty of back up happily denying captains orders.

"CCPD nobody move!" Joe yelled aiming his weapon at the gunman with the other officers following his lead.

"I don't think that was such a wise idea bursting in here" the hooded man said cockily.

"Put your weapon down!" Joe said not wanting to ask again. Joe glanced over at the hostages frantically searching for his daughter.

"Looking for her" the gunman said gesturing his firearm to roof where iris was strapped to the upper floor balcony.

"Iris" Joe muttered. "You let her go now!" Joe said taking his safety off.

"Now,now,now let's not get too hasty, you shoot me and she goes with me" the man said slowly backing up the stairs towards iris.

He slowly walked over to iris and cut her ties loose. He bent down towards her and whispered in her ear. "Iris, such a pretty name"

He angrily ripped the gag from her mouth. "DAD!" Iris screamed.  
Her screams were cut short as the hooded figure beat iris round the face with his gun instantly leaving her unconscious and bleeding from her head. He then dragged her limp body down the stairs and laid her infront of Joe.

"This is what you did to my brother killed him infront of me, and now I'm going to do the same to you" the man said spitting his words at Joe.

Joe had, had enough he aimed his gun and fired.

*BANG* *BANG*

The hooded man fell to the ground and Joe kicked away his weapon before attending to his daughter.

"Iris?" Joe whimpered. "Open your eyes for me!" He pleaded.

Iris started to stirr. "D-dad" Iris groaned barley opening her eyes before shutting them again.

"It's okay now, it's over, I promise I won't let anyone hurt you ever again" Joe said pulling his daughter close.

Iris lay there in her dads arms untill she had to be pried away by the paramedics to be checked over.

"Detective West, we're going to have to take iris to the hospital, she has quite a bad head injury and possible fractured ankle" one of the paramedics said Almost consulting Joe before taking his daughter.

"Is it okay if I ride in the back?" Joe asked still clutching at his daughters hand.

"Of course it is" the paramedic said offering a small smile.

Joe climbed into the back with Iris who tried to give him a reassuring smile as if to say "I'm okay" but Joe could see right through it.

"don't worry it will be okay" Joe said rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

The doors closed and they set off towards the hospital, Joe ran his hands over his face before pulling out his phone. He scrolled down to "B" hovering over Barry's name.

"Oh boy" he whispered before hitting dial.

 **-Meanwhile at Star labs-**

"Barry just take it easy please!" Caitlin pleaded guiding Barry back to bed.

"Yeah man you need rest!" Cisco added.

"Guys I need to help Iris" Barry whimpered collapsing into the bed.

Cisco and Caitlin helped Barry back into bed and re-elevated his leg.

Barry lay there and let out a massive groan before resting his head back down and closing his eyes. Silence filled the room but was cut short by a phone ringing.

"Barry is Joe" Cisco said picking up the phone.

"Quick answer it! Barry said impatiently.

Cisco pressed answer and passed the phone to Barry who was now eagerly sat up in bed.

"Hello! Joe whats happened? Are you okay?! How's Iris?!" Barry ranted frantically demanding answers.

"She's doing okay we're on our way to the hospit-

"Hospital?! What's happened?!" Barry said worriedly cutting Joe off.

"Bare calm down shes going to be okay, she has a minor head injury and possible broken ankle, we're just going to get checked out I'll keep you updated i promise" Joe said trying to calm Barry best he could.

"This is all my fault" Barry muttered.

"Bare just take a deep breath I'll call you as soon as I hear anything and just do me a favour and rest yeah?" Joe said pulling up to the hospital.

"Mmmhuh" Barry moaned running his finger over the end call button.

Barry re-adjusted him self and cleared his throat.

"Barry are you okay?" Caitlin said worried by his friends silence.

"I'm fine" More silence passed and caitlin was about to ask again when Barry snapped again. "IM FINE" Barry yelled throwing his phone and watching it smash into pieces at it collided with the wall.

"Caitlin, Cisco...get me out of here now" Barry demanded.

"Barry I don't think-

"I'm not asking I'm telling you" Barry said once more.

 **END.**


	5. Chapter 5: Guilt

**CHAPTER 5**

"Barry your not well enough to leave star labs" Caitlin pleaded with her Friend.

"Caitlin I already told you I'm not asking I'm telling you and i would really appreciate your help" Barry said struggling to support himself even with the aid of the bed.

"Fine man we'll help you see Iris if you promise to rest afterwards" Cisco said trying to help Barry.

"Okay okay just help me!" Barry said getting frustrated with the situation.

Caitlin re-entered the room with a wheelchair and brought it up against the bed.

"Right ease yourself down slowly" Caitlin said steadily guiding Barry into the wheelchair propping up his leg once he was in.

"I'll get the car ready" Cisco said walking outside.

Caitlin wheeled Barry down the elevator and into the car park, going over small bumps and cracks making Barry wince.

"I'm sorry" Caitlin said apologetically.

"It's okay" Barry said with a small smile, even though Caitlin couldn't see it.

Caitlin wheeled barry into the back of the van putting the breaks on the wheelchair so it wouldn't move during the car ride.

The drive to the hospital took about 20 mins but seconds seemed like minutes to Barry, and he was getting restless and agitated.

"How much longer?" Barry moaned trying to adjust himself again.

"Where almost there, just a few more minutes" Caitlin said reassuringly.

"Yeah not all of us can run as fast as you, it actually takes us time to get places" Cisco said with a awkward laugh realising it might be too soon for jokes.

Piercing silence filled the van before they finally pulled up to the hospital. Barry had never been more eager to get out of a car in his life.

Caitlin opened the door and started wheeling Barry out towards the entrance where they were met by Joe pacing back and forth with a worried expression plastered on his face.

"Joe" Barry yelled almost leaping from his chair.

 **-30 mins ago-**

"Bare just take a deep breath I'll call you as soon as I hear anything and just do me a favour and rest yeah?" Joe said pulling up to the hospital.

Joe sighed putting his phone back in his pocket briefly looking back at Iris. She's looked horribly pale and still. She looked dead. Fear started to overwhelm Joe. He started panic.

"Iris?! Iris?!" Joe said shaking his daughters shoulder almost begging for some response.

"Help I need some help!" Joe yelled in a panic.

The paramedics opened the back of the ambulance in a hurry and wheeled Iris away Joe could barley keep up.

Joe hurriedly ran down the halls trying to keep up with the doctors before he was pushed away.

"I'm sorry but you can't be in here" one nurse said.

"She's my daughter!" Joe argued angrily.

"I know I'm sorry we just need some space to work" she replied politely.

"I don't understand she was talking, she was fine" Joe said his eyes blurring with tears.

"Please just let us do our job" the nurse said guiding Joe to the viewing window and sitting him down.

Joe sat in silence watching the doctors work on his daughter, he let hot tears stream down his face. Finally a doctor approached him Joe jumped out of his seat to greet him.

"Mr West?" The doctor said calmly.

"What's happening?!" Joe asked clenching his fists to stop his hands from shaking.

"When you daughter was struck over the head she suffered trauma to her brain this caused a bleed, we're taking her up to surgery now to reduce the swelling and stop the bleeding" The doctor said remaining calm and gently laying a hand on Joe.

"My baby girl" Joe said cupping his hands over his mouth. He let out a silent whimper.

The doctor laid a firm hand on joe's shoulder and guided him back down to a sitting position. The doctor then sat next to him before continuing.

"What we're going to do is drill a hole into her skull and implant a small device that measures the pressure on her brain and releases it as it accumulates, that way we don't have to worry about serious complications if left untreated, all we need now is for you to sign the consent for surgery" the doctor said resuming his original position standing.

The doctor looked down at Joe expecting a response but he just stayed silent.

"Mr West?, we need your consent as your daughter is still unconscious" the doctor asked again this time passing Joe a pen and paper.

Joe slowly lifted his head revealing to the doctor his tear tracks and puffy eyes. Joe took the paper and signed despite his shakey hands making it hard to hold the pen.

He handed back the paper this time looking the doctor in the eye.

"You do whatever it takes, just save her, I can't loose her" Joe said subconsciously letting more tears escape.

"We will, I promise" the doctor said still keeping a poker face.

Joe sat there for a few more minutes by this time Iris would already be in surgery.

The same nurse that told Joe to stand back now re-entered the room.

"Mr West?" She said. Joes head snapped back to meet her sympathetic look.

"Is S-she O-okay?!" Joe said stuttering his words.

"She's just gone in to theatre now but so far so good I will keep you updated, how about you come get a cup of coffee or something?" She suggested nicely.

"Okay but I'd like to get it alone..thanks" Joe said not meaning to sound rude.

Joe walked in the reception of the hospital where Iris was first rushed through. Despite all that was happening he was certain there was a drinks machine there and he was right.

He put the money in the machine and pressed coffee. While the drink was being brewed Joe couldn't help but let his mind wonder and his legs too he started to pace back and forth before being snapped out of his trance by a familiar voice. Barry.

 **-Back to the present-**

" Joe!" Barry yelled almost leaping out of his chair.

Barry released himself from Caitlin and started pushing the chair himself, his arms ached but he didn't care.

"Bare W-what are you doing here!" Joe said his voice cracking once more.

"Joe please tell me what's happening?! Where's Iris?" Barry pleaded his eyes welling with tears as he feared the worse.

"She has a bleed on her brain, she's in surgery" Joe said choking out the last few words.

Barry tried to respond but he couldn't form words only small whimpers escaped his mouth. The girl he had loved since he was a child was now laying there fighting for her life because he wasn't fast enough. Because he couldn't save her.

 **END.**


	6. Chapter 6: Loved Ones Always Get Hurt

**CHAPTER 6**

"Barry! Barry" Joe said clicking his fingers infront of his son.

Barry didn't respond.

"Bare please just talk to me!" Joe said crouching down to Barry's level.

"I won't see her Joe... I can't see her like that" Barry whimpered finally responding to joes pleas.

"Barry your her best friend! None of this is your fault!" Joe said trying to reason with Barry.

"Joe you know how I feel about her! How I've always felt about her and if I didn't loose my powers I couldn't have saved her I could have stopped this!" Barry said letting his emotions get the better of him.

"Barry please" Joe said standing once more and taking control of Barry's wheelchair.

"Joe stop I'm not going!" Barry struggled attempting to stop the wheels from moving but getting his finger stuck in the spokes in the process. "Dam it!" He yelled in pain.

"Bare you okay!" Joe asked stopping the wheelchair at once.

"I'm fine" Barry said stubbornly clutching at his throbbing hand.

Barry remained quiet all the way to Iris room. He silently read the signs as he passed them. Minors, majors, Resus, Paediatrics, finally ICU, this is where Joe stopped the wheelchair.

Barry was too afraid to admit it but he was frightened.

"S-she's in here?" Barry stuttered out.

"Bare don't worry it's just so they can keep an close eye on her" Joe said buzzing himself through the secured doors.

A nurse held open the door so Joe could wheel Barry through. Barry continued to be silent until they entered Iris room.

"She looks.. Peaceful" Barry whimpered letting his eyes fill with tears.

Despite being attached to multiple different machines and the chilling noise that they made Barry took comfort in the fact that she didn't look in pain of any kind.

"The doctors say there going to try and bring her round in a few days" Joe said gently squeezing Iris's hand and taking a seat next to his daughter.

"Joe please take me back" Barry said snapping out of his trance.

Joe refused to respond seeing through his sons stubbornness.

"Joe please" Barry asked again attempting to wheel himself but pain shooting up his hand stopped him in his tracks.

Joe still refused to acknowledge Barry and continued to comfort his unconscious daughter.

"Please" Barry whimpered out in a final attempt to get joes attention before anxiously pushing himself up and attempting to balance on his good leg.

"Barry" Joe said sternly, his undivided attention now to Barry.

Barry stood his ground refusing to sit back down.

"Fine" Joe said bluntly releasing his grip on Iris's hand.

Barry assumed Joe had alternative motives considering how quickly he agreed to take Barry back to Caitlin and Cisco.

Joe walked slower than usual approaching Barry before laying a hand on his shoulder.

"If you really want to help Iris this really isn't the way, but I can't stop your bare" Joe said giving him a sympathetic look.

Joe helped Barry sit back down making him wince and let out a small groan.

Joe started to wheel Barry back to where Caitlin and Cisco were waiting whilst contemplating making "small talk" with Barry.

" So your leg it really hurts huh?" Joe said feeling guilt wash over him.

"It's agony" Barry moaned.

" I'm sorry it's party my fault I dropped you on the stair well at CCPD" Joe said almost ashamed to actually admit it was his fault.

" Joe you saved my life so what if I have a broken leg, it would have been a lot worse if you weren't there" Barry said in an attempt to perk Joe up.

Joe stayed silent.

"I know what your thinking and don't do that to yourself, what happened to Iris is not your fault-" Barry said being cut off my Joe.

"If I was just faster and acted quicker she would be okay" Joe said now stoping the wheelchair to sit down.

Barry noticed joes hands and legs shaking, Joe burrowed his head into his hands and let out a small whimper just loud enough for Barry to hear.

"Joe I'm the flash,It's my job to save people,It's my job to put away the meta humans and keep central city safe, Just like its your job to be a father to Iris and right now that's all she needs, her dad, not a hero. This isn't you fault Joe" Barry said pulling the wheelchair next to where Joe was sat.

Joe lifted his head up and revealed his tear stained face.

"Hey it's okay, your allowed to grieve, I don't expect you to be a rock all the time, your allowed to crack" Barry said offering a smile.

Joe gladly excepted smiling back and pulling Barry into a hug.

A while passed before Joe felt calmed down enough to wheel Barry to meet Caitlin and Cisco.

Caitlin already had the van ready and Cisco took Barry off Joe and wheeled him towards the car park.

"How's Iris?" Cisco asked noticing Barry was calmer and could probably hold a conversation now.

"She's ok" Barry said pausing before continuing he had an idea. " hey Cisco do we still have the power source that was powering Wells wheelchair?" Barry asked hopeful.

"Yeahhhh"Cisco said slurring. "Please don't say what I think your going to say" Cisco said clueing on to what Barry was thinking.

"Well I'm going to say it, what if we somehow harness the power that Wells used to power himself and reverse it so we can Inject a serum based version to give me my speed back" Barry said grinning even though Cisco couldn't see it.

"Wipe that grin off your face" Cisco said not wanting to admit it was a good idea.

"Your just going to say no because you know Caitlin won't agree and I know you know it's a good idea" Barry said cockily.

"God I hate it when your right, fine I'll do it under one condition" Cisco said bargaining with Barry.

"What" Barry said rolling his eyes.

"You spend time with Iris and Joe, they need you it's obvious, and this shutting people out act is getting old" Cisco said sternly instantly changing the mood.

"Okay deal" Barry said.

 **END.**


	7. Chapter 7: Powers Or No Powers

Hey everyone sorry i know its been a while but I'm gong to try and update more often! 3

\- At the Hospital-

Joe sat awkwardly in the uncomfortable hospital chairs trying to re-adjust his position every so often in attempt to make it more comfortable. Joe let his head rest back on the chair trying to battle against his body for consciousness.

"You need to go home and rest Mr West, you've been here for 3 days straight" One of the regular morning nurses said opening the curtains in Iris's room.

It was becoming a regular thing, every morning the nurse would come in and talk with Joe whilst attending to Iris's dressings and medications. Joe wasn't sure what it was but there was something about the nurse that made him feel at ease with the situation, and he felt like he could tell her anything.

"Ha are you going to make this a regular thing, coming in here and trying to convince me to leave" Joe said with a small smile. His daily conversations with the morning nurse had become regular and Joe enjoyed the small distraction from reality.

The nurse approached Joe and bent down towards his ear "Would it help if I said your starting to smell" She said with a laugh.

Joe laughed back his smile turning to a blank expression. Maybe he should go home and get changed. "Maybe you right he replied, i just thought maybe my son would be here today" Joe said trying to hide his disappointment. He slowly eased himself out of the chair stretching his tired and sore muscles in the process.

"Don't worry Mr West I'm sure he'll be here, but i think for the time being you need to go home and get some proper sleep and something to eat, your no good to either of them like this" The nurse said ushering him towards the door.

" You really want me gone don't you" Joe said with a laugh as he headed towards the door before turning to the nurse who was now adjusting Iris's bed sheets. "I never got your name?" Joe said the smile returning to his face.

The Blonde nurse turned to face Joe. " Natalie" she said smiling gently back.

"Thank you.. Natalie really it means a lot" Joe said.

"Your welcome" she replied. 'Now go home and get some rest, i don't want to see you back here until your showed and rested" Natalie said with another smile.

\- Star Labs-

"Well do you think it will work?" Caitlin said as Cisco drew back the serum into the syringe.

"I don't know but i don't plan and letting barry know that we've maybe found a solution, i think he needs some more time" Cisco said putting the lid back on the syringe and then into his pocket before putting the spare serum back in the cabinet.

"What why? You know he needs this, look at him Cisco, he can't deal with this without his powers, and he's in so much pain" Caitlin said worried for Barry and confused to why Cisco wouldn't want Barry to have the serum.

Cisco felt guilty as he glanced towards Barry who hadn't moved from his bed for two days. Partially due to him being so weak but Cisco knew there was another aspect to why Barry was acting this way. He watched Barry struggle to try sit up in bed, and it made him feel even worse but he knew barry needed time and he knew if he gave Barry the serum now he would take it without even thinking.

"Barry promised to spend more time with Joe and Iris but all he's done is sit there and feel sorry for himself. He's forgotten what its like to be human, he needs to remember whats its like not to have powers, i will give him the serum but not just yet, give me until the end of today. I need him to think about things and understand the risks " Cisco said glancing back at Caitlin to see her reaction.

"What risks?" Caitlin asked walking over to the cabinet to get some blood taking supplies. When Cisco didn't answer straight away she turned toward him to give him her full attention.

Cisco glanced towards Barry's room to see if he was listening. "Im worried that if his body doesn't accept the serum its going to be like getting hit with the dark matter again, and he's already so weak i don't know if his body will be able to handle it" Cisco said concerned for his friend.

"Fine. Okay, i'll see if i can figure out something to counteract the effects and maybe lessen the blow on his body" Caitlin said gathering the rest of the phlebotomy gear & walking into Barry's room, Cisco followed.

"Hey barry how are you feeling?" Caitlin asked as barry saw the needles he started to roll up his sleeve ready.

"Im okay, same as yesterday i guess, my leg still hurts pretty bad... a lot actually. I just feel so exhausted" Barry said lowering his head, he felt Ciscos eyes on him. He felt guilty for not holding up his end of the bargain.

"Im just going to take some blood, okay and i'll get you something for the pain" Caitlin said prepping Barry's arm with an Alcohol wipe.

Cisco sat and waited for Caitlin to finish and leave before moving closer to talk to barry.

"Well are you going to say something or just stand there?" Barry snapped harshly. " Im sorry i didn't mean to snap at you, i know what your going to say, i know i haven't held up my end of the deal-

"Barry it's not that I-

"No Cisco let me finish, i'm scared, i can't see her like that, i just i feel like its all my fault, and then i think back to the nine months i was in my coma and i just don't know how they functioned. How they carried on without me, I'm not strong enough Cisco. I'm nothing without my powers." Barry said burrowing his head in his hands, and letting a small whimper escape his mouth.

Cisco furrowed his eyebrows with empathy. He felt so guilty for not telling Barry about the serum but even though he had doubts about it being able to give barry his speed back anyway not without doing some damage.

"Barry your not nothing without your powers, Your Barry Allen and you helped people before you got your powers and even if you don't get them back you'll still be able to do the same after. I know you don't know this but every single day that joe wasn't working or iris wasn't at Jitters they were here with you, every spare moment talking to you, telling you about there days. Letting you know its going to be okay, and quite frankly Barry your being selfish to sit here and feel sorry for yourself because if it was a reverse situation and you were back in your coma they would be there supporting you and each other. You need to go to the hospital and be there for Joe and most importantly Iris. Your better than this Barry I know you are! Powers or no powers, Your are Barry Allen" Cisco said reaching into his pocket about to give Barry the serum but something stopped him. Barry.

Barry grabbed Ciscos Arm. "Thank you" Barry said his vision blurred with tears, he let one escape and roll down his face. "Thank you Cisco... really" barry said wiping the tears from his cheek.

"Will you get caitlin to help me into the chair, and drive me?" Barry asked struggling to sit up in bed, he barry had the energy to argue with Cisco even if he wanted but he knew he was right, he needed to see Iris and Joe.

Cisco was about to protest and offer to help and drive barry but he knew how to take a hint and took Barry asking for Caitlin as a back off warning.

Cisco walked towards the door to get Caitlin when Barry summoned his friend once more. "Cisco" Barry said.

"Yeah" Cisco said turning to barry once more, his hand once again gliding over his pocket.

"I know about the serum i know you've had it all morning, I want you to know I'm not mad, I understand" Barry said letting a smile creep across his face.

Cisco was slightly taken back and wasn't sure what to say. He edged closer to Barry. "I just wanted you to realise that you can still do good without your speed, that you are still my best friend and nothing will ever change that" Cisco said laying a comforting hand on Barry's shoulder.

"Now are you going to let me help you?" Cisco asked even though it came out as more of a statement.

"I don't think I have a choice in the matter" Barry said with a nervous laugh. " Cisco I also overheard you and caitlin earlier, what are the chances of this serum actually working?" Barry asked looking up towards his best friend.

Barry moved closer to the edge of the bed using the bed rail and Cisco as crutches to hold him up, he had forgotten what it had felt like to feel so weak. He normally healed from his injuries within a few hours.

"Honestly I don't know about fifty, fifty but there could be some side effects" Cisco said nervously trying to look anywhere but at Barry. Which proved harder than Cisco though since he was the once keeping Barry from falling to the floor.

"What do you mean side effects? Barry said straining to keep himself upright.

Cisco lowered Barry into the wheelchair before bending to his level, "If I inject the serum and your cells don't respond theres a chance your human body might not be able to handle the serum it would be as much strain as if you were getting hit by the dark matter again, and well as you know last time you went into a-

"Coma.. I don't know if i can take that chance Cisco" Barry said his voice laced with concern.

"Well i think right now you need to go to the hospital see Joe and Iris then you can make a decision on what you want to do" Cisco said urging his friend to go see his family.

"Okay, lets go" Barry said removing his phone from his pocket. Barry hesitantly scrolled down to Joes number and pressed dial.

Hey guys so I'm back and i plan to upload more often, or as often as i can please let me know what you thought of this Chapter, leave me a review/ comment it would really make my day! 3


	8. Chapter 8:Facing Your Fears

CHAPTER 8

\- Joes House -

Joe had gone home earlier that morning, he had rushed home, hoped into the shower and scoffed down a little food before collapsing onto his bed. Exhausted. He took a brief glance at the clock it read 11.20am. Joe just let his eyes close for a second...

*Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz*

Joe stirred opening his eyes slightly, he felt exhausted but the buzzing noise continued.

*Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz*

This time Joe forced himself to keep his eyes open and check his phone, which is where he assumed the buzzing noise was coming from. The time was now 3.42pm. Barry was calling. Joe suddenly snapped out of his sleepy trance and rapidly pressed answer on the phone.

"Barry! Hey!" Joe replied in excited to talk to his son.

"Joe. I was worried I've called you six times, why haven't you answered?" Barry asked concerned.

"Sorry bare i was asleep, Natalie has been bugging me for days to go home and rest!, whats wrong is everything okay!" Joe asked now fretting that something had happened.

"Who the hell is Natalie?" Barry questioned before realising that it must have been the nurse that he was talking too earlier. "...Joe I'm at the hospital, Iris-"

"IRIS, what's happened, I'm on my way" Joe said now scrambling to his feet, and grabbing his jacket and car keys.

"Joe calm down let me speak, they tried bringing her round and it worked but then something happened and-

-beep beep beep-

\- At star labs earlier that day -

"Okay, lets go" Barry said removing his phone from his pocket. Barry hesitantly scrolled down to Joes number and pressed dial.

*Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* ...Voicemail.

"Voicemail again, what if something happened!" Barry said grabbing the bed rail to push himself up.

"Lets just head over to the hospital, and don't worry until you have to worry he's probably just sleeping or something" Caitlin said in an attempt to comfort Barry.

Cisco brought over the wheelchair, and Caitlin helped barry in. "Yeah I mean I spoke to Joe yesterday he rang to check up on you and he said that he's been sleeping at the hospital" Cicso added.

Cisco took the breaks off the wheelchair and started pushing Barry towards the car park. "What? he's been at the hospital since Thursday?" Barry asked surprised.

"Yeah he hasn't left Iris's side... he did the same for you, you know" Cisco said knowing he touched a nerve.

"I feel awful, I should have been there everyday, why was I so selfish!" Barry said resting his head into his hands.

Cisco laid a reassuring hand onto Barry's shoulder "Don't worry about that now lets get to the hospital" Cisco said wishing he hadn't said that to Barry. He felt bad, he knew he was sensitive when it came to Iris and Joe, it was the one thing that could distract him, and make him slip up, his love for his family.

Barry stayed silent the whole journey thinking about everything that had ever happened and gone wrong since he got his powers. Maybe he was the reason everything bad happened? the reason his mom died, the reason his father died? Eddie? Ronnie? Maybe the reason anything bad happened was all his fault. Barry couldn't help but wish it was him that died.

Barry was soon snapped out of his depressive state.

"Barry...Hello?, earth to Barry?" Caitlin said now worried flashing a small touch in Barry's eyes to check his responses.

Barry was quick to swat Caitlin's hand away when he realised what was happening. "What are you doing?" Barry said defensively. "Are we here already?" Barry said asking another question.

"Dude you zoned out or something" Cisco said raising an eyebrow, concerned for his friend.

"Im fine, i was.. just thinking" Barry said shoving his friends aside as nicely as possible. He wheeled himself to the entrance despite being exhausted, he wanted to feel as though he could do something for himself without anyones help or without messing things up. He couldn't help but go back into the darkness. It was all his fault. Everything.

Caitlin and Cisco followed Barry briefly before, realising that maybe they should leave him alone just for little, until he has a chance to probably see Iris, and get some time with her alone.

"Come on lets go wait in the car" Caitlin said ushering Cisco to follow. Cisco turned back to look at Barry momentarily before following Caitlin back to the Van.

Barry followed the signs to the ICU, he hated the way it made him feel, it was almost like he could feel the death, and sadness that this ward brought. He knew it wasn't the place most people come back from. He approached Iris room, hesitating before entering.

Barry hated how peaceful she looked despite the obvious head injury and cast on her leg, how could he let this happen. He inched closer towards the bed, and slowly took her hand in his. He gasped slighted and relased his grip when he felt how cold her hands were. "Iris, I don't know if you can hear me, but i hope you can feel me, I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere... I love you Iris West" Barry said letting a tear fall from his eye.

Natalie stood at the doorway, she watched Barry have his moment with Iris before entering to administer more medication and adjust a few IV's. Barry noticed Natalie and let go of Iris's hand, and quickly wiped away his tears.

"Its okay, I'm just giving her some medication, please don't stop on my behalf" Natalie said offering a small smile. Barry smiled back.

Barry watched as Natalie pushed some liquid into Iris's IV then hung up a small bag of Intravenous fluids and connected Iris to it, along with some more bags of fluid.

"What are they? what are they for, why does she need so many" Barry said all of a sudden realising how many drips and machines that Iris was connected too. All the IVs in her arms, even one in her neck.

"Barry hunny its okay, its not as bad as it looks, that big one is saline to keep her hydrated, then she's on antibiotics to keep any infection at bay and then some blood thinning medications to make sure she doesn't get any clots and the doctors are even talking about trying to bring her round today" Natalie said reassuringly.

"How did you know my name?" Barry asked.

"Your father, he talks about you" Natalie paused before continuing. "He was waiting for you to come, visit, I sent him home to rest, he's barley slept in three days" Natalie said worried.

"Oh.. I W-wanted to come, but I just wasn't ready to see her like this" Barry said his voice cracking with sadness.

Natalie saw the distress on Barry's face and stopped what she was doing in an attempt to comfort him. "It can be hard for someone to see there loved ones in this state, its not something you see everyday and takes some getting used to" Natalie said offering another small smile.

Barry once again smiled back, this time looking up at Natalie, mouthing the words "Thank you" before looking back at Iris, letting more tears escape.

"Your welcome" Natalie replied "Ah Dr. Fitzbery, this is Barry Joe's son" Natalie said this time acknowledging the tall dark skinned doctor that had just entered the room.

Barry quickly turned his attention to the doctor, a million and one questions running through his mind but the only one that really mattered "Is Iris going to be okay!" Barry blurted out. "Sorry" he then added not meaning to sound forward or rude.

"Thats alright Barry, and your sister is it?" Dr. Fitzbery asked.

"...my girlfriend" Barry replied sheepishly. "Were not actually related Joe fostered me as a child, I lost both my parents" Barry said now looking back at Iris.

"Oh son I'm sorry, but Miss West is doing much better, I'm going to call the medical team in, and were going to attempt to bring her out of the coma, her blood work looks much better and her vitals have been stable for the past 24 hours so I'm quite confident we can bring her round today" Dr. Fitzbery said clicking his pen a few times and scribbling something down on Iris's chart.

Barry didn't respond just smiled but the doctor knew how much he thanked him. Barry stood back and let the doctors assemble there team Dr. Fitzbery mumbled some stuff about medications and bossed a few nurses about to fetch some medical supplies. "Right is everyone ready and is the crash cart near by?" Dr. Fitzbery asked drawing back some fluid in a syringe.

"Yes Dr Fitzbery" Natalie replied.

"Alright then" Dr. Fitzbery said now injecting the liquid into Iris's arm.

Barry sat closely and watched for a few minutes but nothing happened. "How long will it take for her to wake up?" Barry asked nervously, scared that maybe Iris wouldn't ever wake up.

"Shouldn't be too long now Barry, all patients react different and different patients have different waking up times, but with the type of sedation that we have been giving Iris, this medicine I've just injected should counteract it pretty quickly and she should wake up within the next few minutes" Dr. Fitzbery said flashing Barry another empathetic smile.

A few more minutes passed everyone was silent in fact it was so quiet you could he a pin drop. Barry was about to say something but a horrible gurgling and gagging sound stopped him in his tracks. Iris was choking on the intubation tube.

"Ahh Miss West welcome back, lets get this awful tube out shall we" Dr. Fitzbery said remaining almost too calm.

Iris hadn't yet opened her eyes which made Barry anxious, but she was still choking on her tube which made Barry feel little better because at least she was responsive in a way. The doctor carefully pulled out the tube and replaced it will nasal oxygen.

Iris lay there moaning and groaning for a little while before the doctor gave Barry the all clear to approach Iris and ask her a few basic questions.

"Now Barry she might be little confused so just speak very slowly, and just ask one question at a time" Dr. Fitzbery said once again is his calming tone.

"O-okay" Barry stuttered out. "I-iris can you here me? Its me Barry" Barry said fighting the tears that were threatening to fall.

Iris briefly opened her eyes before scrunching them shut again.

"Iris open your eyes for me" Barry said trying to remain as calm as possible.

"B-B-barry" Iris whimpered her voice hoarse and sore from the tube.

"Im here Iris it's okay, I'm not going anywhere!" Barry said letting the tears flow freely now that he knew Iris was safe again.

...Or so he thought.

END


	9. Chapter 9: Set Backs

**CHAPTER 9**

Barry's happiness was short lived. The screeching of alarms and machine beeping brought him out of his trance.

*CODE BLUE* *CODE BLUE* * CODE BLUE*

"IRIS, whats happening" Barry yelled over the loud machine alarms. Barry looked back at _his_ Iris, the only girl he'd ever loved. Her eyes were now wide open she was clutching at her throat as if she couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe.

"Barry move!" Dr Fitzbery said pushing Barry's wheelchair to the side as gentle as possible. "I'm going to need an intubation tray in here...NOW" Dr Fitzbery said again this time loosing his cool.

"Yes right away Dr." Natalie said running off quickly and handing Dr. Fitzbery a intubation pack.

"I don't understand" Barry whimpered quietly to himself. "She was talking, she was awake".

"Barry come on, lets go out side let the doctors work" Natalie said taking control of Barry's chair and pushing him towards the door.

"NO! I can't leave her not again! I won't" Barry said grabbing the wheels to stop the chair from moving. "I don't understand, whats happening" Barry said demanding to know what was happening. Natalie pulled him to one side to let some more doctors through that had heard the code being called.

Barry sat there watching the doctors work, he listened to what they were saying not fully understand what they meant, but he knew enough from Caitlin and his past injuries to partly decipher what they were saying.

"Dr her stats are 72% and still dropping" a nurse called out, informing Dr. Fitzbery who now looked much more stressed. He had a thin layer of sweat across his brow.

"Okay tubes in lets check the placement and get another set of Observations please" Dr. Fitzbery said now taking a step back and huffing a big sigh of relief.

"Vitals look good, nice work Dr." Another nurse commented now adjusting some wires.

Dr Fitzbery wiped his brow, before glancing back at a very petrified Barry. He walked over to where Barry was situated and knelt down to his level.

"What happened?" Barry asked once more, he could feel his heart beating out of his chest, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear what the doctor had to say.

"Barry, son, sometimes when you bring a patient round, there airways are compromised meaning the body has gotten used to the machine doing all the breathing. In this case it happened to Iris, her lungs were weakened and when we tried to take the tube out her lungs couldn't work hard enough to support her body, thats why she couldn't breathe. Do you understand?" Dr Fitzbery asked, trying to work out what Barry's facial expression meant.

"Joe, oh my god, he doesn't know" Barry said stunned and still trying to process what had just happened. Barry grabbed his phone, but his hands were shaking so much he could barley unlock his phone, yet alone dial Joe's number.

"Barry take a nice deep breath for me" Dr. Fitzbery said seeing that Barry's breathing had sped up and he was on the verge of a panic attack.

Barry ignored Dr. Fitzbery's command. Now Dr. Fitzbery and Natalie were both talking to Barry, except Barry could only see there lips moving. No sound was coming out. Barry vision started to blur and he started to panic, even attempting to get up from his chair.

"Barry? Barry can you hear me" Natalie said in her calming voice, pushing Barry back down in his chair as he tried to stand up once more. " Dr. he's going hurt himself" Natalie said expressing her worry for Barry.

"Barry you need to calm down son, Barry can you hear us?" Dr. Fitzbery asked one more time. " Natalie go get me a sedative. "Barry listen to me very carefully you need to calm down other wise were going to have to sedate you. Do you understand me Barry?" Dr. Fitzbery asked once more talking very slowly in an attempt for Barry to hear him.

"I-I-Iris... n-no" Barry Whimpered tears streaming down his face, Barry shot up from his chair screaming as he put weight on his bad leg, he fell to ground whimpering and breathing heavily.

"BARRY" Natalie yelled rushing back into the room with the sedative.

"Natalie quickly help me get him on a gurney" Dr. Fitzbery asked drawing back the syringe and injecting Barry.

Barry whimpered once more in an attempt to fight off the drug.

"Its okay Barry just close you eyes" Dr. Fitzbery said, this time knowing that Barry had heard him.

Barry stopped struggling and let his eyes close not wanting to fight anymore. He felt drowsy and he just let his body drift off into a deep sleep.

"Can we get a gurney and some help in here please" Natalie shouted wandering into the hall and yelling for some assistance.

Two porters quickly came to the rescue with a gurney. "Right be very careful with his leg, we'll need to get an X-ray as well to check theres no more damage, take him to a quiet room, but keep him close by, I know he wouldn't want to be too far away from Iris" Dr. Fitzbery said pulling the rail up on Barry's bed and wiping away Barry's matted hair from hie eyes. "Its alright son well look after you" Dr. Fitzbery added with a smile, even though Barry couldn't see it.

 **-40 Minutes later -**

Barry opened his eyes he felt groggy and wanted to close them again but he forced himself to fight the sleepiness and opened his eyes once more.

"Ugh why is it so bright in here?, where's Iris?" Barry asked himself before all the memories of Iris and what had happened came flashing back.

"IRIS" Barry said again shooting up in bed. "ah" Barry winced looking down at his leg that now seemed to be casted and strapped up in some sort of protective bandage. Just as he looked back up he saw Natalie and Dr. Fitzbery enter.

"Iris! what happened is she okay!?" Barry questioned as if he was interrogating them.

"Barry don't you worry Iris is fine, she's stable, You have quite a bad break there Barry you will need surgery on that leg" Dr. Fitzbery said concerned.

"Later i need to see Iris" Barry winced moving his leg in an awkward position once more.

"You know Barry you had us worried for a second there" Natalie said adding a smile.

"Yes you got yourself quite worked up, we ended up having to sedate you, you were having a panic attack Barry, a bad one too you ended up doing more damage to your leg, how did you injure yourself that bad in the first place" Dr. Fitzbery added studying Barry to make sure he understood and that he was more with it.

"Please i need to see Iris" Barry begged ignoring Dr. Fitzbery's question.

"Just rest now Mr Allen, you and Iris both need it, we tried calling your father to let him know what happened but there was no answer" Dr. Fitzbery said looking at Barry to see if he knew why Joe wouldn't have picked up.

"Joe" Barry mumbled. "I will try him now" Barry added.

"Okay Barry we'll leave you to it" Dr. Fitzbery said both himself and Natalie exiting the room.

Barry gabbed his phone from his pocket and hovered over Joe's name for a second while he was contemplating what to say to him. He pressed dial, and once more it went to voicemail. He tried four more times before he was about to give up and go see Iris. Barry thought he would try just one more time.

*Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* *Ring Ring*

"Come on Joe please pick up" Barry said to himself, just as he heard movement on the other end of the line.

"Joe?" Barry questioned.

"Barry! hey" Joe replied excited to talk to his son.

"Joe. I was worried I've called you six times, why haven't you answered?" Barry asked concerned.

"Sorry bare i was asleep, Natalie has been bugging me for days to go home and rest!, whats wrong is everything okay!" Joe asked now fretting that something had happened.

"Who the hell is Natalie?" Barry questioned before realising that it must have been the nurse that he was talking too earlier and that had been with Dr. Fitzbery. "and Joe I'm at the hospital, Iris-

"IRIS, what's happened, I'm on my way" Joe said now hopping to his feet, and grabbing his jacket and car keys.

"Joe calm down let me speak, they tried bringing her round and it worked but then something happened and-

-beep beep beep-

Joe got in his car and drove as quickly as he could to the hospital, he even put on the blue police lights on his car to get there even quicker . He arrived barley parking his car in the bay before dashing into the hospital rushing towards the ICU.

Barry decided he didn't want to stay prisoner to this room any longer, he saw his wheelchair across the room and with the state his leg was in there was no chance that he would make it. He then spotted some crutches next to his bedside with a note on them.

 _"I knew you would try to leave_

 _so use these... and be careful_

 _xoxo Natalie"_

"Natalie...So that's your name" Barry said smirking to himself before ripping the note off the crutches and placing them underneath his arms, he hurried to the hallway. Seeing Joe run past but it didn't look like Joe had noticed him.

"JOE" Barry shouted down the hallway.

Joe stopped dead in his tracks turning round to see his son. "Barry, what... how.. what happened to you?" Joe asked worried now easing back toward his son.

"I had a panic attack, they sedated me, broke my leg more..I'm sorry Dad" Barry said hobbling towards his dad.

Barry collapsed into Joes arms, and Joe willingly embraced his son in a well needed hug. "Oh Barry don't worry about that now, its okay" Joe said rubbing his sons back to comfort him.

"Can we go see Iris?" Barry whimpered breaking down in tears for what must have been the millionth time that day.

"Of course we can bare" Joe said walking besides his son.

Barry and Joe entered Iris's room together and sat down on opposite sides of the bed each taking one of her hands in theres.

"Don't worry baby Barry and I are here, were not going anywhere" Joe said letting a single tear escape.

Barry looked up at Joe them back at Iris.

"I love you Iris..so much" Barry said clutching at Iris's limp hand. "I love you too dad" he said then glancing at Joe once more and smiling.

"I love you too bare" Joe said letting his head rest back on the chair and smiling back.

 **END**


	10. Chapter 10: The Serum

**CHAPTER 1O**

 **\- The Hospital -**

Light flooded through the curtains, making Barry wince at how bright it was. "Ugh" Barry groaned gently moving his stiff neck.

Barry opened his eyes fully this time looking around trying to make out where he was. The hospital. Barry glanced over to see Joe in the opposite chair.

"Joe"Barry said attempting to wake his dad. They must have fallen asleep here last night.

Joe stirred. Opening his eyes and wincing at the light just as Barry had. "What time is it?" Joe asked looking around for a clock.

Barry withdrew his phone from his pocket. "Um early 6am" Barry moaned wanting to go back to sleep.

"I have to get to work" Joe announced. Barry was shocked at this.

"Really, your going back to work?" Barry questioned.

"Yeah bare, need to take my mind of things, captain offered me time off, but truth is we need the money too" Joe said knowing that money wasn't really an issue, Barry knew this too but didn't argue.

Truth was Joe wanted a distraction.

"Okay then" Barry said softly understanding in a way.

Joe stood up stretching out his tired muscles. "I'll call you when i get to work to let you know I'm okay" Joe said picking up his belongings and heading for the door. He shot Barry an sympathetic look, he knew how hard it was for him seeing Iris like this and not being able to do anything to help.

Barry smiled back. "Joe" He shouted.

"Yeah bare" Joe said re-enetering the room.

" I promise i'll protect her and i'll let you know the minute theres any news. Just have your phone on this time" Barry said with a laugh.

" Aha will do son" Joe said returning a small smirk, but deep down he regretted that he wasn't there when Iris woke up yesterday.

Joe went to work and Barry sat there and closed his eyes for a few seconds, he tried to get back to sleep but his mind couldn't stop wondering. He'd been so caught up with his speed gone and Iris being injured he hadn't stopped to think about how central city had been coping without him.

Barry pulled out his phone once more. He opened up the internet and typed in the search bar _Central City News._ Barry immediately regretted his choice. There were pages and pages of news articles regarding the flash and crimes that he was unable to stop.

"Where is the flash? What happened to the flash?" Barry said reading a few headlines out loud. He then came across a news report, he pressed play on the video and turned the volume up little.

 _"Further news what has happened to the flash? Crime rate has gone up by 20% in the past few days the highest its been in two years and-_

Barry shut off his phone he couldn't watch anymore. He didn't want too. Barry looked at Iris, then down at his leg. " I have to take the chance" Barry said to himself once more.

Barry grabbed his phone once more this time calling Cisco's number.

 **\- Cisco's House -**

It rang a few time before a groggy Cisco answered. "Hello...Barry?" Cisco asked half awake.

"Hey Cisco I know its early but I need you to come pick me up?" Barry asked hopefully.

Cisco sat up glancing at his clock 6:30am "Barry its half 6 in the morning can't this wait, your supposed to be resting anyway" Cisco said moaning at his friend.

"No it can't wait I want the serum, I've thought about it and I'm ready!" Barry said demandingly.

"But Barry the risks are so high" Cisco said trying to plead with his friend.

"Cisco please I don't care about the risks" Barry said begging now.

" Okay fine, be ready I'll meet you out the front of the hospital in 15" Cisco said hanging up and throwing his head back on the pillow.

"Barry i swear to god man" Cisco said muttering to himself. He forced himself to get out of bed and get dressed. Cisco thought to himself for a minute and contemplated ringing Barry back he didn't want to risk loosing his best friend for some silly powers.

Cisco opened his phone and hovering over Barry's number before deciding against it and ended up dialling Caitlin's number instead.

*Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* *Ring Ring*

"Cisco?" Caitlin said wondering what Cisco was doing calling her this early.

"Just thought I would let you know that Barry wants the serum, I said I would pick him up in 15 minutes, I think you should be there just incase something goes wrong" Cisco said worrying.

"Oh" Caitlin said running her hands through her messy bed hair.

"Caitlin you still there?" Cisco asked as he could here anything coming from the other end.

"Yeah, okay I'll meet you at star labs" Caitlin said now sitting up in bed.

"Okay see you soon, bye" Cisco said hanging up.

Cisco walked downstairs to his car and started making his way to the hospital.

 **\- Hospital -**

Barry eased himself up from his chair, not realised how sore he was. "Sleeping in a hospital chair was a terrible Idea" Barry said complaining to himself. He lent against the wall whilst he reached for his crutches that were nearby.

"I see you found the crutches then" Natalie said entering the room and leaning against the door frame.

"Yeah thanks" Barry said struggling to get the crutches they were just a little out of reach.

"Here let me help" Natalie said noticing the struggle no Barry's face. Natalie grabbed the crutches and handed them to Barry letting him lean on her whist he regained his balance.

"Thank you" Barry said gratefully. " Your here early" Barry said making conversation as he headed for the door.

"Yeah just started my shift going to be a long 12 hours" Natalie said jokingly, but Barry could see she was exhausted.

"Wow 12 hours, good luck" Barry said with a smile.

"It will be alright as long as a don't have to deal with any more Barry Allen's" Natalie said jokingly.

"Yeah I'm sorry about that, thank you for yesterday, i don't know what i would have done if yourself and Dr. Fitzbery weren't there yesterday" Barry said thanking Natalie once more.

"Just doing my job" Natalie said with a smile. Barry made his way to the door before turing to face Natalie once more.

"Will you call me if anything changes?" Barry asked.

"Where are you going? Your still a patient you know! Dr Fitzbery wants to schedule your surgery for today!" Natalie said chasing her tone a little now that she knew Barry was leaving.

"I'm sorry Natalie its an emergency, please I have to go! Just call me if anything changes" Barry pleaded, now leaving as quickly as he could. Which on crutches wasn't very fast.

Natalie could have stopped him if she wanted, but she knew he just would have found another way to leave. So she let him go.

"Okay" Natalie said softly admitting defeat. She wasn't sure if Barry had heard her but she knew that he knew that she would call if there was a problem.

Barry hurried down the hall towards the car park where he saw Cisco waiting for him. Cisco unlocked the door and pushed it open to make it easier for Barry to get in. Barry gentle eased himself into the car being extremely careful of his leg.

Cisco noticed the struggle. "How's the leg?" Cisco said trying to empathise with Barry.

"Sore, do you have the serum?" Barry asked eagerly.

"I don't just carry stuff like that on me, geez Barry, don't be so eager. Its at star labs in a secure spot" Cisco said.

"Okay, does Caitlin know what were doing?" Barry said thinking that he and Cisco were sneaking around.

"Of course she does i told her" Cisco said glancing a worried look at Barry.

" Is she meeting us at star labs then?" Barry asked.

" Yes Barry" Cisco said bluntly.

"You don't have to be so rude" Barry said defensively.

"Rude Barry don't talk to me about rude, you call me at 6am then ask me to give you a serum that may well kill you! How do you think that makes me feel?" Cisco said angrily.

"Cisco-" Barry started but was cut off.

"Your my best friend Barry and i don't want to loose you over some stupid obsession you have with getting your powers back" Cisco said yelling slightly.

Barry was taken back by this and wasn't sure what to say. So he didn't say anything. The rest of the car journey was silent.

Cisco pulled up to the back entrance of star labs and got himself out of the car, slamming the dapper behind him, leaving Barry to get himself out.

Cisco angrily stormed inside pissed at Barry for wanting the serum. He marched through the hall and past Caitlin who noticed this.

"Whats wrong? Wheres Barry?" Caitlin asked worried.

"He's fine. He's in the car" Cisco said unlocking the cabinet that the serum was in.

"What are you doing with that?" Caitlin asked looking at Cisco who now had the serum in his hand.

"Nothing, but i refuse to give it to him so your going to have to" Cisco said now handing the serum to Caitlin, just as Barry entered the room.

Barry ignored Cisco heading straight for the medical lab and taking a seat on the bed. Cisco couldn't care less and he refused to stand by and watch so he left and went down to his workshop.

Caitlin grabbed the serum of the counter and followed Barry to the lab. "You know I don't really want to give you this either" Caitlin said nervously.

"Well then don't i'll do it myself, seeing that neither of you want to help me!" Barry said yelling at Caitlin pushing her aside grabbing the serum from her hand in the process.

Caitlin fell to the floor in shock at Barry's violent outburst.

Barry took the lid off the syringe and forcefully injected the serum into his leg, screaming in agony as the serum fought against every cell in his body.

"BARRY!" Caitlin yelled desperately trying to get to her feet to help him.

 **END.**


	11. Chapter 11: The Dark Side

**CHAPTER 11**

 **\- Star Labs -**

Caitlin rushed to an unconscious Barry, regretting even letting the serum and Barry in the same room together. Cisco was right.

"Cisco" Caitlin screamed into the microphone. "I need you in the cortex now?" Caitlin said her voice laced with fear.

Cisco heard all the commotion before Caitlin asked for help and he was already on his way there. "What happened?" Cisco said now entering the room and seeing Barry unconscious and pale.

"Never mind don't answer that, I'm surprised at you Caitlin I didn't think you would have given it too him! i thought you were better than that!" Cisco said scolding Caitlin.

"Speak for yourself, he took it off me and did this too himself, besides your the one that made the serum in the first place!" Caitlin said defending herself.

"Yeah I made it with your help!" Cisco argued back.

"Stop it! Barry needs us and us arguing isn't helping anyone!" Caitlin yelled shocking both herself and Cisco.

"Sorry your right, what do we do?" Cisco asked realising that all of this was partly his fault anyways.

"Um okay grab those sticky pads there" Caitlin said pointing to the chest pads next to the vitals machine.

"Here" Cisco said shakily passing them to Caitlin.

Caitlin removed the sticky back off the pads and placed them evenly onto Barry's chest. Then she carefully plugged him into the vitals machine which instantly gave a reading. His heart may have been beating slowly but there was defiantly a rhythm.

Both Caitlin and Cisco huffed a massive sigh of relief.

"Okay thats good he's alive" Caitlin said relaxing a little.

"No it just means he's not dead yet" Cisco said bluntly.

"Cisco don't say that!" Caitlin replied.

"Well he's not yet and you his best friend should be doing everything you can to help me save his life right now" Caitlin said studying Barry's heart rhythm.

Cisco looked at Barry momentarily before looking back at Caitlin. "I'm going to call Joe, he should know" Cisco said feeling ashamed.

"Wait Cisco not yet, Joe can't handle both Barry and Iris in coma's, just wait until I figure out whats wrong!" Caitlin said pleading with Cisco.

"Fine how can I help?" Cisco asked timidly.

"Okay well help me lift him onto the bed, quickly" Caitlin demanded.

Cisco grabbed Barry's legs and Caitlin under his arms and the carefully but quickly transferred him from the ground to the bed. Both Caitlin and Cisco quickly turned there attention the the monitor above Barry which was now beeping rapidly.

"Whats happening?!" Cisco asked worried he knew something was wrong but wasn't sure what he was supposed to be looking at on the monitor.

"His hearts speeding up" Caitlin said with a smile.

"Why are you smiling, wait is he?" Cisco asked wanting to be sure the he and Caitlin were thinking the same thing.

"Yes I think he is" Caitlin said taking Barry's wrist and gently feeling his pulse to make sure that it wasn't just the machine playing up.

"Yes! The serum works!" Cisco said getting a little too giddy.

"Don't celebrate just yet we don't know if his powers will be the same as before or if he's even got them back yet, we need to wait and see if he wakes up" Caitlin said grabbing her pen torch from her pocket and checking Barry's pupil reaction.

"Barry dude? can you hear us?" Cisco asked leaning over the bed rail.

"His pupils are reacting so thats good, Cisco will you bring the X-ray machine over here?. I want to check if he's showing any signs of healing" Caitlin asked now moving towards Barry's injured leg.

"Good idea" Cisco said as he wheeled the portable machine over placing one of the metal boards under Barry's leg with the help of Caitlin, and then took some X-rays.

"Wow" Caitlin said glancing at the fresh X-rays.

"What is it?" Cisco asked nervously.

"See for yourself" Caitlin said pulling up before and after photos of Barry's leg fracture.

"Its completely healed, but how he normally takes up to 24 hours at least?" Cisco asked worriedly now thinking that he might have actually done more damage. Maybe this wasn't a good thing.

"I have no idea I'm going to have to take some blood and check his cell movement and compare it to old samples" Caitlin said assembling the blood drawing tools.

"How long till he wake?" Cisco asked taking a seat next to Barry.

"Shouldn't be too long now I wouldn't think" Caitlin said taking the fresh vials of blood to the machine for testing. Just as Caitlin placed the vials into the machine she heard faint groaning noises coming from Barry, he was starting to wake.

Caitlin hastily ran to Barry's side again flashing her pen torch in his eyes "Barry?" Caitlin asked slowly trying to get his attention.

"Ugh can you get that out of my face?" Barry said pushing Caitlin away rudely.

"Good to have you back buddy, how are you feeling?" Cisco said smiling so hard his face was starting to cramp up.

"My leg its stopped hurting" Barry said now feeling more conscious, and with that Caitlin backed off a little.

Barry sat himself up in bed he felt better but still tired. He leaned himself to the edge of the bed and slowly put some weight on his bad leg, it hurt but it was more sore than pain. He put a little more weigh until he was balancing himself between both of his legs. He was standing.

"Barry be carful I don't want you putting too much weigh on your leg just yet" Caitlin said rushing to Barry's aid an helping him take some weigh off his leg.

"Caitlin its okay I feel alright" Barry said pushing Caitlin away again. Barry took a few more steps forward this time without help he was limping but walking unassisted.

"Barry your limping your not okay!" Caitlin said grabbing Barry's arm and leading him towards the chair. "Sit now" Caitlin said this time demanding. Barry did as she asked and he sat down, whilst Caitlin and Cisco made a fuss of him running several tests.

"Dude your cells are moving 10 times faster than they ever did, this is insane how have we not though about this before, I mean imagine if we had this when zoom was terrorising the city!" Cisco said chuckling to himself.

He was proud of his work but he was still worried that Barry's body wouldn't be able to handle everything working over time. Infact he took not of Barry's rudeness since he woke up there was something off about him.

"I want to try my speed" Barry said asking looking at both Caitlin and Cisco for an answer.

"Barry your vitals and blood look good but I'm not convinced your ready, are you sure?" Caitlin said looking over Barry's blood results and scans once more.

"I wasn't really asking I just wanted you to know, Let me rephrase myself I'm going to try my speed and I want you to monitor how fast I run" Barry said getting up from his chair, he limped over to the treadmill and Cisco followed close by to monitor the output.

Barry started off slow with just a light jog his leg still ached and he moved with a limp but Barry thought this was to be expected especially considering how bad his fracture was.

Cisco and Caitlin both shared a worried glance. Cisco started the treadmill and then made his way back to the viewing window. Caitlin turned off the microphone so they could speak freely without Barry listening in.

"What is wrong with him?" Caitlin asked.

"I have no idea but I don't think you want to hear my suspicions" Cisco said looking back at Barry who was now picking up the pace a little.

"Cisco" Caitlin said sternly staring him down.

"I think the dark matter from the serum might have affected him some how, I think thats why he's acting to so rude and so unlike Barry" Cisco said bowing his head in shame.

"We have to fix this" Caitlin said now looking back at Barry. Cisco nodded in agreement.

As Barry started to speed up he felt the speed force surge through his veins though this time it felt different he could access as much speed as he wanted, before he only had access to a limited amount but this time he just kept going faster and faster he never wanted to stop.

He had missed this, the way his feet effortlessly moved along the ground, the feeling as the lighting pumped through his veins and spread to every nerve in his body, he wasn't just harnessing the speed force he was apart of it.

"This is incredible this is the fastest he's ever gone he's just passed Mach 6 he's in hypersonic mode, if were speaking in speed" Cisco said amazing and worried at the same time.

"Barry you can stop now" Caitlin said pressing the microphone so Barry could hear, except Barry hadn't heard her.

"Barry you can stop now"Cisco said glancing at Caitlin who was just as shocked as he was, how could he be running that fast.

Barry didn't want to stop, he never wanted this feeling to end. Cisco pressed the emergency stop button on the treadmill and it came to a grinding halt. Barry fell to the ground.

"Barry" Cisco said running to his assistance. "Are you alright?" He asked again offering his hand out to help him up. Barry swatted it away.

"Ive never felt power like that Cisco that was amazing, you haven't just gotten me my powers back you've improved them, I can access as much speed as I want and when I want." Barry said now bringing his friend into tense almost fake hug.

Caitlin now joined them with a worried look on her face.

"Whats wrong now I feel fine honestly" Barry said being genuine.

"I'm worried that all this power is going to have side effects, Barry no ones body can handle this much power and strain without there being consequences" Caitlin said distressed by Barry's lack of care for himself.

"Caitlin I'm fine, I need to go see Iris" Barry said now grabbing his coat.

"Barry I'm serious please just don't use your speed not until we figure out how its effecting your body!" Caitlin said now begging Barry.

"Caitlin all my tests came back fine, I feel fine, which means I am fine. Therefor I'm going to see Iris she needs me." Barry said being a little too cocky.

Barry grabbed his things and sped off.

Cisco knew that something was wrong the way Barry described the speed force how he could access power whenever he wanted and as much as he wanted. What had he done, maybe Barry was better off without his powers.

"Caitlin I'm sorry I should of got rid of the serum when I had the chance" Cisco said attempting to apologise.

"Its both our faults I was going to give it to him anyway" Caitlin said sighing and taking a seat to join Cisco.

"What are we going to do?" Cisco asked.

"I have no idea, guess well just have to figure out why he can access so much speed, I mean how much do we really know about this serum? how long it will last? the side effects? I mean I could be just as bad as velocity 9" Caitlin said now worrying that Barry was going to become speed obsessed like zoom.

"You don't think he's going to turn into another zoom do you?" Cisco said now fretting that he might of created a monster.

"I don't know but one thing we know for sure is that well's device was partly made up of dark matter, and that must be the reason why Barry is acting the way he is" Caitlin said.

"Yeah wasn't like Barry at all, oh my god I have an idea! Remember when Harry stole Barry's speed to give to zoom so he could get Jessie back?" Cisco asked waiting for Caitlin to say continue.

"Yes go on" Caitlin said rolling her eyes.

"Well that was only 2% of his speed and that was enough to slow him down so that he wasn't fast enough to save Iris, so if we use the same technique to reduce his speed enough that he can only go as fast as he was before" Cisco explained feeling proud of his idea.

"Two problems with that, the first being what about the dark matter thats whats changing him and the second how would we get him to agree, there no chance he's going to willingly give up his speed?"Caitlin asked.

"We lie say something came back on his recent blood test and say you need to take more blood, then inject him with enough tranquilliser to keep him out while we harness the speed and we"ll just have to figure out a way to counteract the effects of the dark matter and considering we have samples from the partial execrator it shouldn't be too hard to figure out" Cisco said waiting for Caitlin to respond.

"Sound like a good plan, lets get to work!" Caitlin said with a smile.

 **END**


	12. Chapter 12: I Have To Save Her

CHAPTER 12

\- The Hospital -

Barry had just arrived at the hospital when he saw Joe pulling up. Joe was shocked that Barry was on his feet and came rushing up to him.

"Bare your leg? You got your speed back?" Joe asked now walking with Barry towards the entrance. He noticed something was different but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Yeah Joe its a long story but I'm fine, honestly" Barry said brushing it off and picking up his pace a little, he wanted to see Iris.

"Are you sure?" Joe asked again knowing something was off.

"Joe I'm fine" Barry said this time snapping.

Joe just nodded his head at Barry not wanting to push him anymore, but he got out his phone and sent a text to Cisco.

 _Joe:_ _'What's up with Barry?'_

Cisco read the message and replied instantly. _Cisco: 'Are you with him now?'_

 _Joe: Yes?_

 _Cisco: 'I can't tell you now, i'll call and explain later when Barry's not around'_

 _Joe: 'Should I be worried?'_

 _Cisco: 'We've got it under control, just keep him in your sights until I call him'_

 _Joe: 'Got it'_

And with that Joe put his phone away not fully knowing what was wrong with Barry but keeping a close eye on him. Barry noticed Joe texting back and forth with someone but he couldn't care less at this moment and he just wanted to see Iris.

Barry entered Iris's room, cringing at the sight, he wanted a serum for Iris something that could help her.

Dr. Fitzbery walked in shocked at the fact Barry was standing.

"Barry!" Dr. Fiztbery said shocked. "What an earth are you doing on that leg, you need to keep off it" Dr. Fitzbery said rushing to Barry sitting him down. Barry couldn't be bothered to argue with with the doctor and he just sat down so he didn't have to explain the fact that he could heal at an extraordinary speed.

"Sorry I'm okay really" Barry said getting frustrated.

"Good lad" Dr. Fitzbery said now taking Iris's chart in his hand and looking over her latest vitals and blood results. He rubbed his chin and furrowed his eyebrows, making Barry and Joe nervous.

"Whats wrong?" Barry said bluntly demanding to know what was wrong.

"Im concerned at the lack of consistency with Miss West's vitals and blood work" Dr Fitzbery said looking back at Iris to see almost as if he was trying to figure out what to prescribe her.

"Call her Iris" Barry said again sounding rude.

"Barry don't be so rude" Joe said now feeling like he should intervene.

"It's okay Barry you have every right to be on edge, I mean the pain you must be in its, understandable, and with Iris stuck in here like this" Dr Fitzbery said, giving Joe a small thank you nod.

"Well?" Barry said.

"I can't risk bringing her round again until her lungs are much stronger, her white cell count is also very high suggesting infection somewhere, so I'm going to up her dose of antibiotics and I'm going to slowly try and ween her off the ventilator but theres always the chance that her lungs will give up again, the choice is up to you a this point?" Dr. Fitzbery said now lowering his head, feeling disappointed in himself.

"What the hell are you saying? She's going to die? Your just going to give up?" Barry yelled now standing from his chair.

"Mr Allen please your leg!" Dr. Fiztbery scolded.

"Im fine, now please save her" Barry said walking towards , he added a limp so he didn't have to explain himself.

"Theres nothing more I can do I'm afraid, its all up to Iris, she has to fight this infection, and unfortunately if her lungs aren't strong enough without the vent, she will die" Dr. Fitzbery said backing away from Barry a little.

"I won't let her die!" Barry said grabbing his phone from his pocket.

"Barry wait" Joe said tears pooling in his eyes, he didn't want Iris to die and he was struggling to digest the news, but he had to keep an eye on Barry... something was wrong.

"Leave me alone Joe, Im not in the mood" Barry said now putting his phone to his ear, Joe could hear the ring tone.

"What does that even mean, not in the mood, and who are you calling?"Joe said getting angry with his son.

"Im not your son, my dad is in prison, a prison you put him in!" Barry said knowing that his words cut Joe but he continued. "Now leave me alone before I hurt you" Barry said getting annoyed that no-one was answering the phone. He threw it against the wall in frustration.

"Barry you get back here now!" Joe yelled hurt and angry he reached out and pulled Barry by the arm trying to turn him around and face him.

Barry retaliated pushing Joe back and relaxing his grip on his arm " What the hell Joe" Barry yelled again hitting Joe round the face, this time getting the attention of a few nurses and doctors.

"Hey! You need to leave...now!" Natalie said shocked at Barry. Joe was still on the floor clutching his face where Barry had stuck him.

Barry said nothing he just walked away not looking back, not even to check if Joe was alright.

"Joe are you okay?" Natalie asked helping him to his feet.

"Yeah fine" Joe said gladly taking the help brushing himself down, his cheek was marked and his nose bled onto his white shirt. He wiped it away with his hand.

"What's gotten in to him? and come on lets get you checked out" Natalie said guiding him to a vacant cubicle.

Joe ignored Natalie not trying to be rude but still processing that Barry had lashed out and hit him, he had raised him since he was 11 and despite the tragic death of his mother and the fact his father had been in prison for all these years Barry didn't have a bad bone in his body, he couldn't understand.

Barry made his way to the front of the hospital kicking stones along the floor in frustration. He had destroyed his phone against the wall and had no way of contacting star labs. So he ran there arriving in seconds.

-Star Labs-

"Ive just had a text from Joe Barrys ran off, after attacking him" Cisco said now putting the serum into a syringe.

"Barry attacked him?" Caitlin said shocked. "We need to do this now!" Caitlin said realising that the dark matter must be affecting him the more he uses his speed.

"Yeah well we have a small problem" Cisco said passing the syringe to Caitlin.

"Yeah I see it" Caitlin said putting the syringe behind her back. Barry was standing right in front of them and neither of them was sure if he had heard them speaking and if he knew where the antidote was.

"I need your help" Barry said acting fairly normal so Caitlin and Cisco played along.

"With what?" Cisco said now putting his phone away quickly so Barry couldn't see the messages from Joe.

" I need more of the serum" Barry said looking around for it so he could just take it without permission.

"Barry we can't give you any more of the serum its too dangerous" Caitlin said slowly approaching Barry.

"Its not for me, Its for Iris, she's dying" Barry said still frantically searching for the serum, he started tossing books and paperwork, looking in the cabinet knocking vials of blood and other substances over.

"Barry stop!" Cisco said giving Caitlin a look, she knew exactly what she had to do.

"Barry" Caitlin said removing the modified serum from her back pocket. Barry's attention quickly turned to Caitlin and the serum she held in her hand, he sped forward red lightning and crackles lit up the room.

"B-Barry" Caitlin said nervously as Bary leaned over her reaching for serum.

"I don't want to hurt you but I will, I need the serum" Barry said grabbing Caitlin by the wrist, slowly tightening his grip.

"The serum won't work on Iris, it will kill her she's not a metahuman" Caitlin said shoving Barry away from her using her powers to freeze his feet in place. Barry started to phase back and forth attempting to break free from the ice.

"Now Caitlin!" Cisco yelled firing a tranquilliser into Barry's back he tired to fight off the sedative but he was already weakened due to the ice, and fell to ground. He was out cold. Caitlin injected the serum into Barry's leg, then she loosened him from the remaining ice, laying him flat on the ground. Checking his carotid pulse to make sure he was still alive.

"He's still alive" Caitlin said feeling a little relieved.

"I really hope that worked" Cisco said now helping Caitlin move Barry back to the examination room.

"Yeah now we just need to use Harry's device to take away some of Barry's speed and hopefully that will be enough to fix him, along with the serum to counteract the dark matter" Caitlin said hooking Barry back up to the vitals machine, and putting restraints around Barry's arms and legs, they couldn't risk him trying to escape again.

"Thats assuming the serum works" Cisco said nervously doubting his skills.

"Well lets extract the speed and then wake him up, thats the only way to know for sure" Caitlin said bringing over the device that Harry used to extract Barry's speed the first time.

"How exactly are we going to do it? Harry only took 2% last time and that was using Barry's suit linked to the device?" Cisco said looking at the device that now had a needle type thing attached to the end.

"Well whilst you were busy altering the serum to counteract the dark matter I altered the device so it kinda works just like taking blood I will draw Barry's blood and the speed force should come with it telling me how much I've taken" Caitlin said feeling slightly proud of herself assuming the device would work this way.

"How will you know how much to take?" Cisco asked.

"I compared his blood work to the one's we took before the serum and he has access to 250% more so I will just take 250% and assuming everything goes to plan this should work" Caitlin said noticing Barry was staring to stir.

"The sedative is wearing off we have to do this now" Cisco said tightening the restraints on Barry's bed.

Caitlin tilted Barry's neck to the side and carefully wiped the area clean with some antiseptic wipes, she the slowly inserted the needle into the artery being mindful that if she made any sudden movement she would sever the artery and Barry would bleed out in seconds.

"Did you have to go in the neck?" Cisco asked cringing, fighting his natural urge to look away, Caitlin slowly drew back the syringe filling it with blood.

"Unfortunately yes it's the only artery with direct access to his main vessels so its the quickest way to extract the speed force" Caitlin said avoiding eye contact with Cisco, she didn't want to loose concentration.

"Okay 250%, thats it" Caitlin said quickly withdrawing the syringe and putting pressure on the area, to stop the bleeding. Barry started to move around again, and the vitals machine started beeping again.

"He's burning through the sedative so quickly" Cisco said reaching for the tranquilliser gun again, just to have Caitlin stop him.

"No don't. Let him wake up, we need to see if it worked" Caitlin said looking at Barry's vitals they were dropping but he wasn't in danger yet.

Barry started to stir again he moved his arms and legs realising he was strapped down. Barry slowly opened his eyes, turing to figure out where he was.

"Hello?" Barry moaned trying to adjust himself, he winced feeling pain in his bad leg and a cold burning sensation all over his lower half.

Caitlin and Cisco looked at Barry wondering if it had worked, Barry noticed there strange looks and decided to break the silence once more.

"Well did it work? Did the serum work? Is my speed back?" Barry asked innocently.

END


	13. Chapter 13: Apologies

"Barry? How are you feeling?" Caitlin asked still worried looking at the the machine, she silenced the alarms now moving closer to Barry.

"My legs hurt" Barry said sitting up a little, acknowledging the fact that Caitlin ignored his question so he asked again. "Did the serum work?" Barry said.

Caitlin threw back the covers examining Barry's legs, they were black and blue and had clear indications of frostbite, his broken leg also looked swollen and bruised. Caitlin felt a wave of guilt wash over her quickly throwing the covers back over his legs.

"Barry what was the last thing you remember?" Caitlin asked not only worried about Barrys physical health but mental, why couldn't he remember what happened?.

"I injected myself with the serum, which I know was stupid, I'm so sorry Caitlin but I needed to try, I need my speed back" Barry asked clearly not remembering the past couple of hours.

"Barry you left here hours ago.. you got your speed back, you went to go see Iris and...Joe" Cisco said exchanging worried glances with Caitlin.

"Why did you say Joe like that?" Barry asked picking up on Cisco's tone change.

"You attacked him Barry" Caitlin said softly trying to break the news gently.

"W-what? I attacked Joe?" Barry asked now attempting to get up, eager to see if his speed worked.

"The serum worked bare, but there was side effects, the dark matter changed you" Cisco said easing Barry back down on the bed, now sitting down next to him.

"Changed me how?" Barry asked, wincing at his painful legs.

"It made you angry and almost careless to how other people felt it was almost as if you had no humanity, the only thing you seemed to care about was Iris" Cisco replied trying to break the news as gently as possible.

"Guys... I don't know where to begin to apologise"Barry said feeling extremely guilty.

Barry glanced at Caitlin and Cisco flashing them both apologetic looks before continuing. "I didn't hurt either of you did I?" Barry said hesitantly.

"No Barry.. but I hurt you I had no choice you were going to try and inject Iris with the same serum, it would have killed her, I had to freeze you thats why your legs are so painful" Caitlin said taking full responsibility for her actions and she couldn't help but feel awful for the obvious pain that Barry was in.

Barry looked down at his legs now noticing the colour of them, he ran his fingers over his lower leg feeling the bits of burnt flesh peeling away as he brushed his hand across his shins. Barry winced again looking back at Caitlin.

"Its okay Caitlin, thank you, you got me back no matter what it took, so thank you" Barry said offering a small smile.

"You should get some rest, and I need to bandage those legs, I don't want them to get infected" Caitlin said heading towards the supply closet.

"Caitlin I'm okay really, I can feel the speed force I'm healing" Barry said grinning to himself, now acknowledging the presence of the lighting he felt crackle through his veins, it made him feel alive, like he had purpose again.

"I know Barry but you still need to rest" Caitlin said now bringing over some fresh bandages to dress Barry's frost bitten flesh.

"I need to see Joe! I need to apologise" Barry said desperately trying to remember what had happened.

"Barry please, you need rest!" Caitlin begged trying to reason with Barry.

"Caitlin please I need to see Joe and Iris" Barry said his eyes pricking with tears.

"Okay" Caitlin said finally giving in, knowing arguing with Barry was useless and that he was gong to go either way.

Caitlin finished dressing Barry's legs and examining his broken leg. "Just promise me you'll come straight back here after you've done, I need to monitor you, we still don't know if the serum worked properly" Caitlin said as she watched Barry struggle to stand and put his coat on.

Cisco noticed this too and went to offer some help but Barry pushed his hand up in defence to let him know that he didn't want his help. "Im okay Cisco really, just sore" Barry said flashing another fake smile.

"Were just worried about you man" Cisco said feeling although he needed to defend himself.

"I know and I couldn't ask for better best friends thank you two, so thank you both.. really, you mean the world to me" Barry said slowly limping towards the lift.

"You don't want a lift to the hospital?" Caitlin asked desperately wanting to help her injured friend in anyway she could.

"Im fine thanks Caitlin" Barry said attempting to give them one more 'I'm okay' smile, but it just came across as a painful simper.

Barry slowly made his way to the front of star labs taking in a cold breath of icy air, the temperature had dropped and Barry shivered at the bitter air. It was dark out side now. Barry dove into his pocket searching for his phone but he couldn't find it. He checked his wrist instead he still had his watch on he could barley make out the time in such dim light, but it read 8.15pm.

"What the hell happened today" Barry muttered to himself bracing himself for what he was about to do.

Barry firmly re-planted his feet on the ground wincing at the pain in his leg but he ignored it. Barry took a deep breath in shuddering at the cold air once more, he let the speed force surge through his body, letting the familiar warmth sensation take over as the lighting appeared in his eyes, he let his body do the work and he enjoyed the projectory that he felt as his body effortless glided through what felt like frozen time.

Barry sped past the buildings and cars, accepting the speed force once more and appreciating that time stood still in such away that allowed him to pass through undetected. Barry was so lost in this feeling that he forgot about the pain and his exhausted body, he ran straight past the hospital forgetting everything, nothing mattered anymore, not in this moment.

Barry suddenly stopped, the thought of Iris coming back into his mind. He let the exhaustion in and almost collapsed barley making it back to the hospital. Barry gladly lent against a bench trying to take some weight of his legs.

"Are you okay Sir?" A stranger asked hurrying towards a huddled Barry who was obviously in some sort of pain or discomfort.

"I'm okay I just need to catch my breath for a second" Barry said fake smiling in an attempt to look better than he did, still hunched over, he noticed the women's scrubs and stethoscope so he knew that she must be some sort of nurse or junior doctor.

"Are you sure?" She asked once more pushing just a little to see if Barry would cave and let her help.

"Im fine really" Barry said flashing another fake 'Im ok' smile standing to face her walking away as normal as he could not that he had to prove himself to anyone, but he felt like he had to.

Barry got round the corner into the main Emergency department finally letting himself relax more and his limp became more prominent. Barry got in the lift and went to the familiar ICU floor purposely slowing his pace so he didn't have to speak to Joe, he was nervous.

Barry approached Iris's room, the lighting was minimal but Barry could just about make out two figured shadows beside Iris's bed, he knew one was Joe he could tell by the horrid posture, Joe always slouched when he sat in chairs and the other one he couldn't quite make out, but Barry figured that it was either Dr. Fitzbery or Natalie.

"Joe?" Barry said now slowly entering the room, he reached for a light but decided he didn't want to se Joe's face or Iris.

Joe turned his head to meet Barry and his lips parted as if he wanted to speak, the second figure was now viewable it was Natalie she gave Joe a nod and a smile and hurried off muttering the words "Im here if you need me" Barry barley heard what she said but he knew she was referring to whatever had happened earlier.

The light of passing cars caught Joe's face exposing his bloody nose, bruised eye and grazed cheek, Barry grimaced at the sight of Joes face and a wave of guilt washed over him flashing images of him hitting Joe came in painful waves, making Barry grip his head with pain.

"Barry!" Joe said now standing to approach Barry he was cautious and nervous Barry picked up on Joe's hesitance despite clutching at his throbbing head.

"Im okay..just remembering what happened..Im so sorry Joe" Barry said through painful waves of flashing pictures.

"Its okay Barry, so your back?" Joe said leading Barry to an empty chair. Barry gladly sat down his body needing to rest. The pain subsided and so did the memory but it stuck in Barry's mind replaying on a loop that Barry couldn't stop.

"J-Joe I'm.. I had no idea, I'm so sorr-

"Barry its okay son, I know" Joe said pulling his son into a well needed hug.

"Im back" Barry said letting a few tears of relief fall.

"Good" Joe said also letting his emotions loose.

Barry and Joe slowly released from the hug, Joe cupping his hand behind Barry's neck, "I love you bare" Joe said offering a smile, which Barry could tell hurt because of the swelling but decided it was best if he didn't bring it up again. Barry smiled back.

"How is she?" Barry said looking over at Iris, she looked peaceful but Barry noticed there were move IV bags and drip stands, something was off.

"She's okay, stable" Joe said obviously leaving out some crucial details, Barry switched the light on above Iris's bed examining Joes face and the dried tears that had left marks. Joe had been crying.

"Your lying" Barry said seeing right through Joes attempt to hide Iris's true prognosis.

"Its not good bare" Joe said letting more tears escape. Barry went to reply but Joe put his hand on his sons knee, almost to say let me finish.

"She's dying" Joe whimpered out.

"W-what, but she looks okay I though she was doing better?" Barry said leaning over Iris bed, he brushed her hair to one side.

"There saying her lungs are failing there not strong enough bring her off the vent" Joe said trying to stop himself from completely loosing it.

"NO" Barry said slamming his hands down on the bed rail.

"Barry" Joe said thinking about earlier when Barry had snapped just like that.

"No Joe I'm not loosing her not like this, we will find a way!, there has to be something, we'll take her to star labs. Let Caitlin and Cisco come up with something" Barry said pacing back and forth his limp becoming more obvious.

"Barry please sit down" Joe said not wanting Barry to be in unnecessary pain.

"Is there a chance she could wake up if we woke her now?" Barry asked.

"The doctor said the longer she's on the vent the worse she will get but without it her lungs are too weak" Joe said trying to remain calm.

"Right well surely its better to try again, let me take her to star labs, what about a meta human, someone who could bring people back or heal, or Lazarus's pit, it brought Thea back or-

"Barry stop, your grasping at fantasy's" Joe said seeing Barry was staring to work himself up and panic, it was something Barry's used yo do as a child whenever he tried to talk about what happened to his mum. He would get himself worked up.

"Joe I can't loose her, she's my world" Barry said falling to his knees, Joe knelt beside him.

"I know bare, I know, neither can I" Joe said cradling his son.

END


	14. Chapter 14: Iris?

Barry and Iris strolled down the street linking arms, Barry couldn't help but admire her beauty her flawless skin and chocolate brown eyes.

"Why do you keep staring at me like that?" Iris asked feeling Barry's eyes on her for the 4th time in five minutes.

"Im sorry" Barry apologised shaking his head and letting a cheeky grin appear on his face. "Your just so beautiful" Barry said trying to stop himself from smiling, his cheeks were staring to cramp up.

"Aww Bare" Iris said turning to him and pulling Barry into a kiss.

"I love you Barry Allen" Iris said gazing into to Barry's eyes ,almost letting herself get lost in them.

"I love you, Iris West" Barry said about to pull Iris into another kiss when he saw a car speeding up to Iris from behind.

"Iris watch out!" Barry yelled pushing Iris out of the way put not quick enough, the bonnet of the car clipped Iris hard,not hard enough to kill her, but enough to knock her out cold, senseless.

"Iris..no...not again" Barry said rushing to her side, Barry gently but carefully lifted Iris's limp lifeless body in to his arms, He attempted to move her but meanwhile other cars crashed into the one that hit Iris ,he could hear other cars breaking in the distance trying to stop the pile up of cars.

Barry tried again to move Iris but was too late another car plummeted into the back of the car that had hit them pushing it into Barry knocking him unconscious. . . .

Barry shot awake gasping for breath, he felt his heart racing and gripped the arms of the chair for support, he looked over as Iris she was still comatose and Joe was still asleep opposite him.

Barry rubbed his face in an attempt to get the dream out of his head. Joe stirred a little and adjusted himself in the hard uncomfortable hospital chair, he didn't wake though and Barry was glad he could see that Joe needed the rest.

Barry walked over to Joe's side slipping his phone from his pocket, Barry still had no idea what had happened to his phone. Barry looked at the time 5.27am, Barry yawned making his way to the bathroom, he looked at his reflection and knew that he felt just as bad as he looked.

Wanting to freshen himself a little Barry ran the tap and flushed his face with water, in doing so it made him feel a little better but his body ached and he was extremely stiff partially due to his injures and party due to the chair he'd slept in for the past 8 hours.

Barry remembered that he promised Caitlin that he would return to star labs after seeing Iris and Joe, but after finding out that she might be dying Barry couldn't leave and he needed Joe's support as it was the only thing except Iris that could help him when he got himself worked up and had a panic attacks.

Barry placed Joes phone on the bed side cabinet and grabbed the pen and paper which lay next to it, he wrote:

 _Joe thank you for last night, don't know what I would have done without you._

 _Ive gone to star labs, I think I might have and idea. I'll ring you later when I find my phone. Plus I really need to shower and change i'll be back later, tell Iris I love her._

 _Bare_

Barry finished writing the note patting himself down once more to double check for his phone, having no idea that he had smashed it against the wall the day before. Barry then walked out of the hospital and towards Star Labs, he ran for a while but kept on stopping due to exhaustion and he was almost sure his glucose levels were extremely low he hadn't had a injection in a while.

Barry almost considered himself a diabetic he carried around shots of glucose that he would inject when he felt his levels were low, the only difference is the high percentage of glucose would kill a normal person where as due to his fast metabolism Barry needed this to keep him going.

Barry eventually made it to Star Labs looking at his watch 7.31am and it was now light outside meaning Barry had been walking for sometime. Exhausted and barley having the energy to stay conscious Barry fought trying to make it to the lifts.

Barry scarcely made it to the lift and pressed the cortex floor button letting the darkness in. The lift made its way to the top of the building the doors opening.

Cisco was at the desk and Caitlin next to him, they heard the lift opened and both looked and at first saw no-one, they thought it was odd, they weren't expecting anyone. Caitlin stood up wanting to investigate further and as soon as she did she saw Barry laying on the floor being propped up by the walls of the lift.

"Barry oh my god" Caitlin yelled rushing to Barry's side, and Cisco followed promptly.

Caitlin being a doctor knew a few possible causes for Barry being barley conscious and she knew one of them was probably low blood sugar. Barry lolled his head back and forth fighting to stay conscious again.

"Glucose" Barry mumbled letting his vision cloud and the darkness enter again.

"Hypoglycaemic shock! Get him to the bed.. Now!" Caitlin said rushing off and drawing a syringe of high dosed glucose.

Caitlin helped Cisco move Barry to the bed before slowly injecting the glucose into Barry's arm, she did it slowly so his body would be more accepting and he would wake quicker.

"Barry? Can you hear me?" Caitlin asked nothing the signs of Barry regaining consciousness.

Barry eyes fluttered as he started to come back round, Caitlin's voice sounded like an echo and his vision was still blurry.

"I hear you" Barry slurred.

"You were supposed to come back last night" Caitlin scolded.

"Sorry" Barry slurred again trying to sit up, his vision was starting to return and he felt a lot better.

"Oh no you don't" Caitlin said pushing Barry back down.

"Why didn't you tell us you didn't have any of your glucose with you?" Caitlin asked checking Barry's blood sugar.

"I lost my phone" Barry said more attentive.

"Right well you can have one of the labs phones, theres loads" Caitlin explained, Cisco now entering the room with a new phone.

"You have to stop scaring us like that buddy, but I'm glad we have you back and that your okay!" Cisco said handing Barry the phone.

"Thanks" Barry said gladly taking the phone, he appreciated Cisco's worry and was grateful to have a friend like him.

"Hows Iris?" Caitlin asked feeling guilty that she hadn't gone to visit her. Caitlin and Iris had become good friends they talked often when Iris came to visit Barry almost everyday fro 9 months and they had grown close, they both shared secrets that only each other knew, and truth was Caitlin felt like she was letting her friendship with Iris down.

"Not good" Barry replied pausing and taking a breath because the words he was about to say hurt him. "She's dying guys" Barry said attempting to stop the tears from gathering in his eyes.

"Im sorry Barry" Caitlin said placing her hand gently on his shoulder in an effort to comfort Barry, Caitlin already knew that Iris was dying, and she had already had time to process the news. Barry didn't know this but he already told them when he came looking for the serum yesterday.

"Caitlin I need you to help me save Iris, there has to be something we can do, we could bring her here" Barry said desperately now grabbing caitlin by the hands willing her to help.

"Barry I don't know what we would do different" Caitlin nodded sympathetically trying to release Barry's desperate grip.

"We can at least try though? Im not giving up, you brought me here, you saved my life, I was in a coma for 9 months Caitlin!" Barry said getting agitated,he attempted to leave his bed once more but Caitlin protested.

"Barry please, just rest, i'll look at Iris's notes and see what I can do if you just promise me you'll rest!" Caitlin said once more trying to reason with him.

"yeah man don't make me use the restraints again" Cisco said with a small laugh, but he wasn't afraid to use them if Barry refused to co-operate.

Barry nodded in agreement with his friends, he picked up his new phone fondling it in his hands, before dialling Joe's number, he knew it off by heart the amount of times he had to call Joe from other peoples phones, or work phones, he had lost count. The phone rang a few times and Joe answered.

"Barry? I got your note" Joe answered assuming the unknown number was Barry.

"Yeah Joe, I think we should bring Iris to Star Labs, Caitlin thinks she could help" Barry said lying, but wanting Iris here, he knew she would have better chances of survival at Star Labs.

Despite the fact Iris wasn't a meta human Caitlin was equipped for a lot more scenarios and Barry knew from experience that Caitlin knew how to act fast with little knowledge about the situation.

"I don't know Barry" Joe said unsure. He was tired and stiff still trying to wake himself up, he glanced at his daughter not knowing what was best for her, he just wanted Iris to wake up.

"Please Joe... remember there the ones that saved my life" Barry said feeling emotional again referring to Caitlin and Cisco.

"Barry that was part of Well's plan to kill you" Joe reminded him.

"Caitlin and Cisco had no idea there intentions were still true,they saved my life, kept me alive, I want Iris to come here Joe, I think we can get her back, I know we can" Barry weeped now sobbing down the end of the phone.

Barry messily wiped his eyes and finished his phone call hanging up. "He agreed" Barry muttered still letting hot tears run down his face.

Caitlin joined her friend she had Iris's clinical notes printed off holding them in her hands. Caitlin's facial expression looked hopeful making Barry feel at ease.

"Well?"Barry asked gripping his phone with nerves.

"I actually think I might be able to help" Caitlin said watching Barry's face light up with the good news, but with good news always comes the bad. "Barry I don't want you to get your hopes up theres every chance that my idea might fail and Iris wont wake up" Caitlin continued laying another comforting hand on Barry's leg.

"Whats your plan?" Barry asked not letting his hopeful smile leave his face. He wanted to take every thread of hope he had left and hold onto it with everything he had in him. If there was even the slightest chance that he could get Iris back he was going to take it no matter what the cost.

"I think I can create a machine with Cisco's help of course that can help Iris breathe, sort of like a ventilator except it will help strengthen her lungs instead of just doing all the work for her" Caitlin explained hoping she simplified it enough for Barry to understand.

"You think it will work?" Barry asked still smiling.

"Im hopeful, now get some rest I'm going to talk to Cisco, see what we can come up with" Caitlin smiled leaving Barry to get some sleep, she shut the light off as she left the room, to make it easier for Barry to fall asleep.

Caitlin sat down at the Cortex desk joining Cisco he didn't seem impressed with Caitlin's idea, he had been listening through the microphone in the lab.

"What?" Caitlin asked noticing Cisco's confused and worried expression.

"You really think this, machine is going to work?" Cisco asked looking over at Barry who had already fallen asleep.

"I think if we can take the vent and change the structural settings so that it will let Iris breathe as much as she can and only help her when she needs it, and I think over time it should help strengthen her lungs enough for us to take her off the vent completely, I think it could really work" Caitlin said smiling to herself shuffling Iris's medical notes in her hands.

"Okay then, lets get to work" Cisco said confident that he could pull this off.

 **END**


	15. Chapter 15: Ferno

Barry paced up and down checking his watch for the hundredth time,"7.05 where is she" he was waiting for Caitlin to arrive at Star Labs, he saw he car pull up and raced down to greet her.

"Barry I said no speed until your fully healed" Caitlin scolded as the red lightning lit up the underground car park.

Barry ignored Caitlin following her close behind wanting to get to the reason he had been waiting for her. "Caitlin its been a week and nothings happened, why hasn't she woken up yet?" Barry asked feeling his eyes prick with his tears as the thought of loosing Iris popped back into his head.

"Barry I told you these things take time,I told you it might not work" Caitlin said sympathetically, now getting in the lift with Barry.

"Caitlin please, you have to do something" Barry pleaded.

"Barry.. theres nothing else I can do" Caitlin said feeling defeated like she let her best friend down.

Barry stood for a few minutes as the lift reached the top floor, Barry walked towards Iris who had been there for a week now with no signs of improvement.

"Caitlin" Barry mumbled clutching Iris by the hand.

Caitlin who was observing Barry and Iris from the window now entered hearing her friend call her name. " Barry are you okay?" Caitlin asked inching closer to him.

"Be honest with me" Barry whimpered tears stinging his eyes. "Is there any signs of her waking up? Is there any signs of her getting better?" Barry asked biting back the tears.

"Well..no, I mean her vitals are good, her blood work is great, and her infection is better but her lungs are just extremely weak" Caitlin said again simplifying her doctor talk enough for Barry to understand.

Cisco had arrived now hearing the conversation between Barry and Caitlin, he decided he would hang back and let them talk. If Iris was going to die then it was something Barry would have to accept slowly.

"Im going to loose her aren't I?" Barry asked coking on his tears now.

Caitlin went to reply but was stopped by Cisco who was alerting them of meta human activity. "guys I hate to interrupt but we have a big problem" Cisco said anxiously.

Barry and Caitlin rushed to the cortex looking to the monitor which showed a meta human causing havoc in the city centre.

"Who is that?" Barry asked completely forgetting about Iris in the moment.

"A meta we haven't seem before he can control fire, thats pretty cool" Cisco said amused watching the man spurt flames from his hands.

"Not cool, he's burning that building, what do we do?" Caitlin said knowing Barry was still too weak to be fighting meta humans.

Barry sped off changing into his suit. "Barry no!" Caitlin protested.

"Caitlin he's burning the city, I can't just stand here and do nothing" Barry said knowing he wasn't strong enough but he needed the distraction and he knew he couldn't let the city burn.

'Yeah Ferno has to be stopped" Cisco said wanting to agree with both Caitlin and Barry.

"Ferno, really? You know he shouldn't be going" Caitlin said shaking her head at Cisco wishing he would side with her.

"Guys theres no time for arguments" Barry said speeding off towards the city. Barry followed the smoke to the burning building, he ran around the perimeter and no sign of Ferno, so Barry ran inside looking for victims.

"Cisco do you see him on any of the traffic cams?" Barry asked through his headset rushing people out of the burning building, then running back in to check for more.

"No he's gone, I can't see him" Cisco said desperately switching between the different cameras trying to find Ferno.

"Barry just becarful watch your back until we locate him" Caitlin spoke worried, she was closely monitoring Barry's vitals on her screen.

Barry finished rescuing people from the building and he was about to leave when he felt the ground shake it made the walls of the building weaker and they started to collapse under the pressure, Barry held on to the burning wall for support, earthquake he thought to himself? "guys whats happening?" Barry yelled trying to keep his balance so he could get out of there.

Cisco looked at the monitor Ferno was now standing outside the front of the building and he was clenching his fists, the fire had stoped flowing from his hands and he now seemed to be controlling the earth he was caving the ground beneath the building making the walls crumble in on itself.

"Barry get out of there now its Ferno he can control other elements too, that buildings coming down" Cisco yelled down the microphone.

Caitlin nervously bit her lip scanning the screen trying to see if Barry had made it out in time, the building came crashing down, with no signs of Barry.

"Barry! Barry talk to us" Caitlin said again desperately wanting to hear some sort of response from the Scarlett speedster.

"Barry?" Cisco tried, static noise coming from Barry's headset.

"I told you he wasn't ready for this!" Caitlin spoke fearing the worst.

"Im sorry Caitlin" Cisco said sitting back in his chair, had he just gotten Barry killed. Before Cisco could speak again the room was lit up with red lightning once more, an exhausted Barry fell to the floor covered in thick black mucus, and smoke.

"Barry!" Caitlin and Cisco said in unison. "We thought something happened to you" Cisco said relieved.

"Are you okay?" Caitlin asked helping him up to his feet. "Yeah I think my headset must have been damaged in the fire, what was he guys?" Barry asked brushing himself down.

"Element" Cisco said smiling to himself.

"Thats what your calling him?" Barry asked wanting to know how he could stop someone who could control earth and fire.

"Yeah who knows he might be able to control more than just fire and earth, the way he made the ground crumble like that, it was like he wasn't even trying" Cisco said baffled by the meta's powers.

"I don't think we've ever faced anyone this strong before" Barry said quickly getting changed into a Star Labs jumper and taking a seat on the examination table.

"Every meta has a weakness we just have to find his" Caitlin stated flashing a light in Barry's eyes to check his pupils, just as Joe entered the room making Barry look back at Iris, he knew he had to talk to Joe about Iris, she couldn't stay like that forever.

"Bare you okay?" Joe asked seeing the state of his son, he looked awful.

"Yeah fine" Barry smiled.

"Yeah right he barely made it out of a burning building this morning" Caitlin said telling Joe the truth. Barry scowled at Caitlin annoyed that she had just dropped him in the shit.

"Barry! Your supposed to be resting not running into burning buildings" Joe said giving Barry a good tongue lashing.

"I know Joe, I'm sorry" Barry apologised trying to think of how to bring up Iris, but he didn't have to Joe did.

"How is she?" Joe asked looking at Caitlin, who then glanced at Barry ushering him to talk to Joe about the taking Iris off the vent.

"Joe can I talk to you about Iris?" Barry questioned leading the way to Iris's bedside. Joe nodded and followed Barry.

"Hey baby girl, how you doing" Joe greeted his daughter kissing her on the forehead.

"J-Joe we need to think about turning the vent off" Barry mumbled just loud enough for Joe to hear.

"Like hell you are, where the hell has this come from"Joe said taken back by the words leaving Barry's mouth.

"Caitlin said-

"I don't give a dam what Caitlin said, theres no way I'm turning it off, I'm not loosing her Barry, and shame on you for even entertaining this ridiculous idea" Joe yelled defensively leaving the room.

"Joe where are you going?" Barry shouted back.

"To get Iris moved back to Central City General, I knew it was a bad idea brining her here" Joe said as the lift doors closed.

Barry thought for a minute pacing, last time at the hospital when they tried bring Iris round they did for a little while... he needed to see her, he needed to hear her voice, he couldn't take it anymore, he needed Iris back even for just a second.

"Caitlin what are the chances If we bring Iris round that she'll be okay?" Barry asked letting the tears fall, how could he even think about turning the vent off, he wanted Iris back more than anyone.

"5% if that" Caitlin replied shaking her head, this was not something that she wanted to consider just yet.

"Do it" Barry said gripping the bed rails so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Barry I don't think this is a good idea, Joe should be here" Caitlin replied grabbing a small bottle and syringe from the cabinet.

"I don't care Caitlin please, just do it" Barry pleaded grabbing his phone from his pocket. He rang Joe who hadn't actually left Star Labs yet.

"Barry?" Joe answered confused.

"Joe come back up, were going to try and bring Iris back round" Barry said smiling down the phone, salty tears trickling down his face.

Joe hung up immediately rushing back to Iris.

"Barry what are you doing?" Joe said still confused just a minute ago he wanted to turn the vent off.

"I need to see her Joe" Barry stuttered.

"What are you talking about?" Joe asked still confused about Barry's intentions.

"When the doctors tried to bring Iris round last time they did, she was awake and talking Joe!" Barry sobbed trying to hold himself together.

"Bare I want her to wake up too, but not if were going to loose her" Joe soothed trying to calm a frantic Barry.

Barry couldn't take it anymore he grabbed the loaded syringe off Caitlin and plunged it into Iris's arm before anyone could say or do anything else. Perks of having super speed.

"Barry!" Joe and Caitlin screamed as the realised what Barry had done.

"What the hell Barry! What have you done" Joe yelled pushing his son aside. Caitlin rushed to Iris's side adjusting some wires trying to get a proper reading of her vitals.

Barry stood back realising what he had done "Sorry, oh my god, so sorry" Barry mumbled sliding down the wall and curling into a ball, he covered his ears hearing the alarms of Iris machines go off. Barry looked up Joe and Caitlin fussing over Iris trying to stabilise her. He heard the familiar gurgling sound of Iris chocking on her tube.

"Iris?" Barry whimpered standing now.

"Caitlin whats happening?" Joe asked but Caitlin was too busy trying to stabilise Iris, she grabbed a bottle from the cabinet checking the table before administering the liquid. Caitlin then gently started to removed the tube from Iris's throat.

"Iris? can you hear me?" Caitlin asked checking her pupil reaction flashing the pen torch in her eyes, Iris winced at the harsh lights being shone in her eyes.

"Too bright" Iris slurred.

"Iris sweetie can you hear me?" Joe cooed brushing her hair from her eyes.

"Dad" Iris slurred again trying to understand what was happening and get her bearings about where she was.

Barry stood there shocked, he almost thought he was dreaming, it was until Iris said his name that he was snapped out of his trance, and was at her side in seconds.

"Barry" Iris whimpered wincing again at the harsh lights.

"Iris? Iris, I'm here" Barry said scrambling to his feet, to greet his one true love.

 **END**

 **Authors note: I don't normally put notes on my chapters but i just wanted to thank everyone who reads this story and thank you for reading each week, it would really mean the world to me if you could give me a review and let me know what you think of my chapters 3 Also little side not I'm super stuck for idea's and where to go with this story so any suggestions would be gladly appreciated! x**


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